Echoes of Athens and The Glass Sea

Abstract

The poems Eu, e minhas circunstâncias and O Mar de Vidro, by Gabriela Lages Veloso, develop a poetic discourse centered on introspection, memory, and the sensitive relationship between subject, space, and silence. In the first poem, the lyrical voice walks through streets, alleys, and stairways, transforming the urban landscape into a symbolic territory of inner listening. Silence is not presented as absence, but as the origin of poetry, emerging through colors, natural sounds, and the legends embedded in old buildings and churches. In O Mar de Vidro, the metaphor of the reflective sea introduces a darker and more contemplative dimension, associated with the fear of confronting hidden truths, vanity, and the revelation of the inner self. The image of the sea as a deep mirror articulates themes such as identity, time, and self-knowledge, emphasizing the tension between fascination and unease. Together, the poems present poetry as a path of passage and discovery, in which the poetic word functions as a guide to understanding personal circumstances and the complexities of human existence.