May my madness be forgiven...

This is a poem by Oswaldo Montenegro, which is one of my favorite brazilian composers. He speaks straight to my heart, and always manages to say just what I feel. Thought I'd share. Crappy translation by me.

Half
Oswaldo Montenegro

May the strength of my fear not stop me from seeing what I desire
May the death of all that I believe in not shut my ears and my mouth
Because half of me is what I shout, and the other half is silence

May the music I hear from afar be beautiful even when sad
May the woman I love be forever loved, even if distant
Because half of me is departure, the other half is longing

May the words I speak not be heard as prayer, or repeated with fervor
But only respected, as the only thing left to a man flooded with feelings
Because half of me is what I hear, and the other half is what I silence

May my desire of leaving become the calmness and the peace that I deserve
May this tension that corrodes me inside be someday rewarded
Because half of me thinks, and the other half is a volcano

May the fear of loneliness leave me, and living with myself become at least bearable
May the mirror reflect in my face the sweet smile I remember having in my childhood
Because half of me is the memory of who I was, the other half I don't know

May I not need more than a simple joy to make my spirit quiet
And may your silence speak to me more each day
Because half of me is shelter, and the other half is tired

May art point us a direction, even when it doesn't know
And may no one try to complicate it, for it needs simplicity to flourish
Because half of me is the audience, and the other half is the song

And may my madness be forgiven
Because half of me is love, and the other half... also.