Metaphysical Suburbs

      The concept of "metaphysical suburbs" explores how the physical, architectural, and social spaces of suburban life shape human consciousness, spirituality, identity, and our relationship with the sacred or uncanny.

Martín López-Vega - Campos da Hungria

O comboio atravessava a lenta calma

dos nevados campos da Hungria,

deixando para trás casas, vales, cemitérios,

e na minha frente uma formosa jovem ia lendo

e cantarolava uma misteriosa melodia.

Eu lia

esse poema de Gyula Juhász intitulado

"Anna örök", Eterna Ana. E foi então que se uniram

naquele comboio as minhas recordações e as minhas ânsias,

atravessando os nevados campos da Hungria.

E hoje voltou a mim aquele momento

e não sei porquê, não sei.

  Tradução de Ruy Ventura

  O poema de Gyula Juhász Anna örök, Eterna Ana, referido no poema:

Gyula Juhász: Anna örök (Eterna Ana)

Az évek jöttek, mentek, elmaradtál

Emlékeimből lassan, elhalványult

Arcképed a szívemben, elmosódott

A vállaidnak íve, elsuhant

A hangod és én nem mentem utánad

A dühöngő élet sűrűjébe.

Ma már nyugodtan emlegetem nevedet,

Ma már nem rezdülök meg pillantásodra,

Ma már tudom, hogy egy voltál a sokból,

Hogy ifjúság bolondság volt e láng,

Amit egy kósza szellő is kiolt.

Ma már nem fáj, ha eszembe jutsz,

Vagy ha látom, hogy más karján mosolyogsz.

De mégis, ne hidd, hogy egészen elfeledtelek,

Mert ha egy-egy magányos éjszakán

Felriadok a csendben, és a múltat

Idézem, te vagy ott minden emlékben,

Te vagy a fény az éjszakámban,

Te vagy a bánat a mosolyomban,

Te vagy az életemben az örök Anna.

  Traducción al español:

Los años vinieron, se fueron, te quedaste atrás

de mis recuerdos lentamente, se desvaneció

tu rostro en mi corazón, se borró

la curva de tus hombros, se esfumó

tu voz, y yo no fui tras de ti

en la espesura de la vida furiosa.

Hoy ya pronuncio tu nombre con calma,

hoy ya no me estremezco ante tu mirada,

hoy ya sé que fuiste una entre tantas,

que esta llama fue locura de juventud,

la cual apaga una brisa pasajera.

Hoy ya no me duele si te recuerdo,

o si te veo sonreír en brazos de otro.

Y sin embargo, no creas que te he olvidado del todo,

porque si en alguna noche solitaria

me despierto en el silencio, y el pasado

evoco, tú estás allí en cada recuerdo,

tú eres la luz en mi noche,

tú eres la tristeza en mi sonrisa,

tú eres en mi vida la eterna Ana.

      O primeiro poema constrói uma reflexão poética sobre a paisagem como espaço de memória, deslocação e contemplação. Os campos húngaros ultrapassam a dimensão geográfica, tornando-se cenário interior onde o sujeito lírico confronta distância, passagem do tempo e experiências vividas. A observação da natureza articula-se com uma sensação de estranheza e pertença simultâneas. 

Life in 3D - Make You Feel My Love (Bob Dylan Cover)

 

When the rain is blowing in your face

And the whole world is on your case

I could offer you a warm embrace

To make you feel my love.

When the evening shadows and the stars appear

And there is no one there to dry your tears

I could hold you for a million years

To make you feel my love.

I know you haven't made your mind up yet

But I will never do you wrong

I've known it from the moment that we met

No doubt in my mind where you belong.

I'd go hungry, I'd go black and blue

I'd go crawling down the avenue

No, there's nothing that I wouldn't do

To make you feel my love.

The storms are raging on the rolling sea

And on the highway of regret

The winds of change are blowing wild and free

You ain't seen nothing like me yet.

I could make you happy, make your dreams come true

Nothing that I wouldn't do

Go to the ends of the Earth for you

To make you feel my love, to make you feel my love.

      Your beautiful harmonies lift the spirit and warm the soul. Bob Dylan wrote "Make You Feel My Love" for his 1997 album Time Out of Mind. Its simple, heartfelt lyrics express unconditional love, devotion and emotional support. Dylan’s version was not a major chart hit, but the song gained enormous popularity through later recordings, notably by Billy Joel and Adele. Adele’s 2008 cover helped introduce the song to a much wider international audience, making it a modern standard.

Henry Moret - Camino hundido en Pont-Aven, 1898

      The painting shows a secluded country path winding through the lush Breton landscape. Dense vegetation frames the sunken road, creating a sense of depth and enclosure. Moret uses vibrant greens, earthy browns and touches of warm colour to evoke the richness of nature. The loose, expressive brushwork reflects the influence of Impressionism, while the strong contrasts of light and shadow give the scene atmosphere. The painting conveys tranquillity, intimacy and a profound connection with the natural world.

Francisco Caro - Poética do cuidado / Poética del cuidado

 

Que a palavra limpe as feridas,

seja bastão seguro para algumas pernas fracas,

lente para aqueles olhos a que a névoa tira a vista,

altifalante de gargantas sem sino,

lenço dessas lágrimas que não esperam chegar ao mar,

e colher que não hesita diante de bocas fechadas

que se negam para a vida.

 

E que o homem que leve às costas

a mochila com as lentes e bastões,

altifalantes, lenços e colheres,

de seus silêncios faça escola de segredos

e trono de humildade.

 

  Tradução de A.M.

  Original:

Que la palabra limpie heridas,

sea bastón seguro para unas piernas débiles,

lente para esos ojos a quien la niebla oculta su horizonte,

altavoz de gargantas sin campana,

pañuelo de esas lágrimas que no esperan volver a ver el mar,

y cuchara que nunca titubea ante bocas cerradas 

negándose a la vida.

 

Y que el hombre que cargue a sus espaldas

su mochila repleta de bastones y lentes,

altavoces, pañuelos y cucharas,

haga de sus silencios escuela de secretos

y trono de humildad.

      O poema valoriza o cuidado como atitude essencial perante a vida, os outros e o mundo. A linguagem, aparentemente simples e contida, transforma gestos quotidianos em expressões de atenção, proximidade e responsabilidade. O sujeito poético sugere que cuidar implica reconhecer a fragilidade e a importância de cada existência. O poema contrapõe, assim, a indiferença à disponibilidade para acolher e proteger.

Martha Scanlan - The Meadow

 

      Martha Scanlan is a contemporary US folk and Americana artist whose work draws on traditional American song forms and acoustic roots music. Her debut album, "The West Was Burning," was released in 2007. The record reflects a spare, traditional aesthetic rooted in the folk and country songwriting of rural America.

      Love your music, Martha. Your voice is singular, sublime, subtle and full of soul. It evokes a powerful feeling in me. "The Meadow, a new song video from Martha Scanlan was recorded and filmed in Eastern Montana. Part of her Tongue River Stories project. This is her first project since the release of the album The West Was Burning and Little Bird of Heaven."

      The following lyrics are not perfect. I got them by listening to the video 'cause they are not on the web. As I'm not a native English speaker, if someone corrected, I would be thankul.

Golden days are in the meadow

Autumn bright and border trees

Morning days, do you remember

Horses breath and horses feet?

I don't think I ever told you

How your hair felt in my hands

Like Summer week, Winter C's of horses

Your smell is sweet grass and horn red.

So, I tried hard not to see you

Sewing stars into your height

To become the night some constellation

I could not fight organize.

I would send you a true white angel

An early blue bird, so disguised

A shard of wind, a blue that pierces

Even the blue heart of the sky.

Have you seen the seven sorrows

In a thousand shaking leaves

like waving hands? Can't help you

Roll away the storm and set you free?

I will meet you in the meadow

Horses breath and horses feet

I will touch your scars in the early morning

Where there is one star and the first bird sings.

Victorian Vignettes

 

      Immerse yourself in the enchanting era of Victorian England with this collection of short "still" stories. Each vignette offers a glimpse into the lives of remarkable women and men who defied societal norms and fought for their dreams in a time of strict social conventions. All of them hide a mistery.

Ernesto Pérez Vallejo - Muitas vezes / Muchas veces

 

Muitas vezes ainda nos doem

aqueles comboios que passaram ao largo.

E queixamo-nos da sorte, em silêncio.

Outras, já dentro do vagão,

maldizemos o relógio

por termos chegado a tempo aos carris.

Nós, que não sabemos ser felizes,

só precisamos

é de um culpado.

  Tradução de A.M.

  Original:

Muchas veces todavía nos duelen

aquellos trenes que pasaron de largo.

Y nos quejamos en silencio de nuestra suerte.

Otras ya en el interior del vagón

maldecimos al reloj

por haber llegado a tiempo a sus raíles.

Los que no sabemos ser felices,

lo único que necesitamos

es un culpable.

      O poema aborda a dor provocada pelas oportunidades perdidas e pelas escolhas da vida. A metáfora dos comboios representa caminhos que se afastam ou que, pelo contrário, são seguidos no momento certo, mas também podem trazer arrependimento. O sujeito poético revela uma insatisfação persistente, marcada pela dificuldade em aceitar a própria existência. No final, surge uma conclusão irónica e amarga: quem não consegue ser feliz procura um culpado para justificar as suas frustrações, evitando assumir a responsabilidade pelas próprias escolhas.

The Smiths - I Won't Share You

I won't share you, no, I won't share you with the drive and ambition

The zeal I feel this is my time, the note I wrote as she read, she said

"Has the Perrier gone straight to my head 

or is life sick and cruel, instead?"

"Yes!"

No, no, no...Oh!

I won't share you, no, I won't share you with the drive and the dreams inside

This is my time. Life tends to come and go that's okay

As long as you know life tends to come and go

As long as you know, know, know...Oh!

I won't share you, no, I won't share you with the drive and the dreams inside

This is my time. II want the freedom and I want the guile

I want the freedom and the guile. Oh, life tends to come and go

As long as you know, know, know...Oh!

I won't share you, no, I won't share you

I'll see you somewhere I'll see you sometime

Darling!

      I saw The Last Picture Show, 1971, by Peter Bogdanovich after our revolution in 1974. I was still young and the image of Cybil Shepherd in the swimming pool has always been in my eyes forever. What about the song? Pop in the 1980s was rocked to its foundations with the arrival of The Smiths in 1983. With their blend of Morrissey’s misery and Johnny Marr’s melodies, they became an integral exponent of Manchester’s musical heritage.

Oscar Herman Lamb - The Green Vase, 1933

      The painting presents a carefully arranged "still life" centred on a distinctive green vase. Only the title leads there. The composition emphasises the vase’s female form in a quiet decorative presence. The two women seem to have a second role.

Ana Paula Inácio - Amanhã vou comprar umas calças vermelhas

 

Amanhã vou comprar umas calças vermelhas

porque não tenho rigorosamente

nada a perder:

contei, um a um, todos os degraus

sei quantas voltas dei à chave,

sublinhei as frases importantes,

aparei os cedros,

fechei em códigos

toda a escrita.

Amanhã comprarei calças vermelhas

fixarei o calendário agrícola

afiarei as facas

ensaiarei um número

abrirei o livro na mesma página

descobrirei alguma pista.

 

  in, Vago Pressentimento Azul por Cima

 

      O poema parte de um gesto quotidiano para explorar desejos, expectativas e possibilidades de mudança. As calças vermelhas assumem um valor simbólico: representam uma vontade de romper com a rotina, afirmar a individualidade e experimentar uma nova forma de estar. O «amanhã» introduz uma promessa, mas também alguma incerteza, sugerindo que a transformação pode ser adiada. Com linguagem simples e próxima, o poema cruza ironia e reflexão, revelando a tensão entre aquilo que somos e aquilo que desejamos ser.

My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean – Traditional Folk Song

      A.I. will make us much more materialistic and less spiritual, but it’s too soon to be sure. Here, we have the old traditional Scottish folk and children's song with origins possibly dating back to the 18th century. Many historians believe the song is a coded lament for Charles Edward Stuart (Bonnie Prince Charlie). He fled to France after losing the Battle of Culloden during the Jacobite rising of 1745.  An English music hall precursor called "My Barney Lies Over the Ocean" may have existed in the 1860s before the modern version evolved. Charles E. Pratt published the sheet music in 1881 as "Bring Back My Bonnie to Me" using the pseudonyms H.J. Fuller and J.T. Wood.

Paul Hey (German, 1867–1952) - The Chapel Above, 1910

      It presents a tranquil alpine scene, combining natural grandeur with spiritual serenity. A small chapel stands high against the rugged mountain landscape, appearing modest yet significant amid the vast surroundings. Soft daylight illuminates the rocky slopes and distant peaks, creating a peaceful, almost dreamlike atmosphere.

Mariana Finochietto - Aonde leva / Adónde van

 

Aonde leva

esta vontade de rir,

de fugir a correr

pelos montes,

descalça e sem fôlego?

Onde leva este impulso bravio

de viver,

deslumbrada de sol?

Onde se esconde

a ânsia

de ser mais

do que esta mulher

que todas as noites

fecha as janelas?

  Tradução de A.M.

  Original:

Adónde van

estas ganas de reír,

de escapar corriendo

por los montes,

descalza y sin aliento?

¿Adónde va

este salvaje impulso

de vivir,

deslumbrada de sol?

¿Adónde se esconde

el ansia

de ser más

que esta mujer

que cierra las ventanas

cada noche?

      O poema explora o desejo de liberdade, movimento e descoberta perante uma existência marcada pela rotina. A pergunta central exprime inquietação e procura de sentido, enquanto as imagens da natureza sugerem vitalidade, espontaneidade e possibilidade de transformação.

Σύννεφο" Συρτό Καραβίτη | Greek Traditional Music | Antonis Dimitra Duet

 

Ήθελα να ‘μαι σύννεφο

να με φυσάει τ’αγέρι

να με φυσήξει μια βραδιά

κοντά σου να με φέρει

I wish I were a cloud

for the breeze to blow me along,

for it to blow me one evening

and bring me close to you.

  Two musical instruments: Lafta and Laute from Crete.

 

A Young Girl by a Fjord, 1900, painted by Hans Dahl

      The painting presents a young woman standing on a grassy hillside above a Norwegian fjord. Dressed in traditional rural clothing, she appears quietly absorbed in the magnificent landscape. Blue water stretches between steep mountains beneath a luminous sky, creating a harmonious sense of depth and openness. Dahl’s precise naturalism and warm, crystalline light transform an ordinary rural moment into a poetic celebration of youth, nature, and the peaceful beauty of Norwegian life.