Thirst for Justice

/ Edilson Afonso Ferreira / 2 Comments

Do not be afraid to judge the wicked, the dishonest,

and the criminal, mainly those who dress himself

in sheep’s clothing, dissemble and confront us daily,

without shame or remorse.

Have the courage to unmask them, for your good

and that of your fellow ones.

Become a Witness, Prosecutor, and Judge,

meet as a Jury with yourself, do not give a voice

to any defense, and, with pure and proud a heart,

that of a righteous man, proclaim him guilty.

Leave the execution of the sentence to the Creator,

who, we know, sees and hears everything.

To Him belongs divine mercy and forgiveness,

both for the one you condemned and for you,

who, filled with greatness, but sad and unhappy,  

acted to bring justice, seeing the weakness of good

and the pride of evil.

This poem and all others at this blog, authored by Edilson Afonso Ferreira ©

Walks

/ Edilson Afonso Ferreira / Leave a comment

I have always lived with my brothers of race,

every day, night, month, and seasons of the year,

with words, hugs, slaps, and kisses.

The diversity I have encountered has been so great,

in true, among them, I have improved my qualities,

but, with some, have needed to sharpen my claws,

sometimes necessary in self-defense, threatening

and dangerous as they have become.

I have wet the road with tears and sweat,

have always looked to the horizon with joy

and fearlessness, sometimes with doubt and distrust.

I have fought the good fight, and, coherent to the human

that lives within me, have reaped victories and defeats,

without rancor or hatred, have lived and let live.

May this walk be a preview of a future one,

that lies before me,

which faces me as an incognito.

However, the greatest of all incognito is what

we are living with since we are born into this world,

to which, as far as I know, have had no warning

or prior preparation, even any consent.

We are, in truth, nothing more than a tribe or nation,

launched into the adventure of a universe under construction,

not more than a part, nor even its main one.  

This poem and all others at this blog, authored by Edilson Afonso Ferreira ©

Return to the Origins

/ Edilson Afonso Ferreira / Leave a comment

You know, or, at least, you should know,

that we are all related,

without any exception.

On that sixth day of the week of Divine Creation,

in a land named Paradise, we were all made

by the same mold, same measurements, same shape.   

Man was created in the first stage, and after,

like a bonus, God gave birth to the woman,

companion, lover, wife, and mother,  

the first joint venture, never before

even imagined or dreamed.

Then, we have become equal to our Lord,

and have, for countless years, given life and breath

to our families, beloved sons and daughters.

Equaled by race and common parentage, may we struggle

to honor what had been granted to us, raising our genesis

with so great a love, which will lead us, without any delay,

to that Holy Land, by history and right, our first home.

(Published in West Ward Quarterly, Summer 2025 printed issue)

This poem and all others at this blog, authored by Edilson Afonso Ferreira ©

Strange Duality

/ Edilson Afonso Ferreira / 2 Comments

We come into this world without any major options,

chained, since birth, or rather, since our conception,

to the inheritance brought, in fact, imposed, by our ancestors,

those of our family, in addition to those of the larger family,

the entire humanity to which we belong.

Qualities and defects, virtues and vices, they arrive 

combined in the genes of the new being, and, stealthy,  

they wait to manifest themselves in due time.

Our parents, in the joy and happiness of creating a new life,

are not aware of the dangers that lie on standby;

we know they will do everything to separate the wheat

from the chaff, in the future life that is beginning,

a game whose success, unfortunately, we cannot predict.

Our struggle to build a personality, despite such inheritance,

is arduous and relentless, and none of us can escape it,

we have to polish and perfect this new being and pass it on 

to a future generation, much better than we had received.

Let us strive not to fall into banality, but to play the right game.

May the improvement and purity we acquire not be that

of the physical body, which corrupts and decays, but of the spirit,

which, free and sovereign, under the right and reckless command,

has no limit and never ends. 

This poem and all others at this blog, authored by Edilson Afonso Ferreira ©

Other Worlds

/ Edilson Afonso Ferreira / 2 Comments

Sometimes world conspires against me,

but people ignore that my path,

It has already been marked,

in all its twists and turns,

and in its different times,

with the sign of victory and success,

over everyone and everything.

Those who have been foreseen to engage with me,    

they arrived coated with that fraternal communion,   

which incites forgiveness and understanding,

and precedes the blossoming of love, flame

that ignites and warms all human coexistence.

Destinies that intersect and do not wear out,

and, instead, strengthen each other, just like

so many I have encountered, build joy and happiness,

that radiate and reach, far beyond us, other worlds,

which will be coveting and envying us,

without us even knowing it.    

This poem and all others at this blog, authored by Edilson Afonso Ferreira ©

To Whom it may concern

/ Edilson Afonso Ferreira / Leave a comment

Sometimes I think that, suddenly,

some ghost from my past will resurrect

and appear to torment me.

Who knows, maybe someone will forget he is dead

and will miss the time when he lived.

If that happens, he will get a terrible fright,

because I am no longer that shy, innocent,

and malleable being, which he was accustomed to.

I dare not say that life has hardened my heart,  

it remains affectionate and kind,

has kept its whims and desires,

a heart of flesh, as Our Lord commands.

However, has learned how to avoid

those who disguise and hide their true selves,

indifferent to love, compassion, and empathy,

therefore, unfit for human coexistence.

If they appear, will see, above all,

that are not part of my memories,

because I belong, entirely and well adjusted,

to a new world, where they will have

no shelter, or even will be recognized.  

This poem and all others at this blog, authored by Edilson Afonso Ferreira ©

On Speaking of Life’s Journey

/ Edilson Afonso Ferreira / Leave a comment

I know that wherever I have been,

cities, streets, squares, and corners,

people, days, weeks and years,

troubled seas and faraway lands,

strange beings, friends, and enemies,

casual acquaintances and, mainly,

those I have loved and hated,

I have left not only happy memories,

but also, and in great numbers,

serious inconsistencies, gross errors,

disagreements, doubts, and misunderstandings.

But I am aware that the Supreme Being,

who created everything, including me, has supplied,

since my first day, a Guardian Angel, to protect

and guide around me.    

I am also aware, that, today, so long time passed, He, 

the Creator, is pinning on the chest of this said Angel,

a Medal of Honor, that has been awarded to so few.

It is granted for services rendered with bravery

and courage, for having led me to this date,

unharmed, healthy, respected, even forgiven,   

along with fellow ones I have had to confront,

on this day-to-day of our mutual painful journey.

This poem and all others at this blog, authored by Edilson Afonso Ferreira ©