Cecília Meireles
Cecília Meireles (1901–1964) was a Brazilian poet, journalist, and educator whose lyrical poetry became a major part of modern Brazilian literature.
Brazilian modernism: A diverse Brazilian cultural movement that reworked artistic forms and national identity, especially from the 1920s onward. Meireles wrote within a modernist literary landscape while maintaining a distinctive lyrical style.
Viagem: Cecília Meireles’s 1939 poetry collection, recognized with a major Brazilian literary prize. The collection consolidated her reputation and exemplifies the musical lyricism associated with her work.
Mário de Andrade: A Brazilian poet, novelist, musicologist, and central organizer of modernism in Brazil. His modernist project offers a revealing counterpart to Meireles’s more meditative poetic voice.
Canção excêntrica: A poem by Cecília Meireles included in the collection Vaga Música. Its playful musicality illustrates her ability to make formal control feel spontaneous.
Portuguese-language poetry: Poetry written in Portuguese across Portugal, Brazil, and other Lusophone societies. Her work belongs to a language tradition spanning Brazilian and Portuguese literary histories.
Children's literature: Literature written or adapted for children, encompassing poetry, stories, and other forms. Meireles wrote poetry and prose for children as part of her literary and educational work.
Manuel Bandeira: A Brazilian poet whose work helped establish modernist poetry in Brazil. Bandeira and Meireles are often read together as major, distinct voices in twentieth-century Brazilian poetry.
Ou isto ou aquilo: Cecília Meireles’s 1964 collection of poems for children. The collection is a lasting example of her inventive writing for young readers.
Lyric poetry: Poetry that expresses personal feeling, perception, or reflection, often through a concentrated speaking voice. The inward musicality of lyric poetry is central to her characteristic verse.
Education in Brazil: The institutions, policies, and practices through which education is organized in Brazil. Her teaching and educational writing connected literary culture with debates about Brazilian schooling.