Saudade, presence of the absent

Wanderlino Arruda

Of friendship,
of love,
in the presence of the absent,
is tasty pain, happy pain,
that goes right to the heart.
To feel saudade
is to want so close
the loved one.
It is thinking about going,
wanting to regress.
It is bringing into sight
what doesn’t come to view.
To feel saudade is to dive into the infinite,
looking for company,
imagining smiles,
coloring dreams.

Saudade is feeling’s transfusion,
comfort’s invitation,
infinite love, endless warmth.
“Saudade” is happiness that hurts,
a pain that relieves.