Guine Bissau ( With my old Olympus OM-1 1: 1,2 ) _______________ WINDS OF CHANGE Ninguem se apercebe de nada. Brilha um sol violento como a loucura e estalam gargalhadas na brancura violeta do passeio. E Africa garrida dos postais, o fato de linho, o calor obsidiante e a cerveja bem gelada. Passam. Passam e tornam a passar. Estridem mais gargalhadas, abrindo uma sobre as outras como circulos concentricos. Os moleques algaraviam, folcloricos, pelas sombras das esquinas e no escuro dos portais adolescentes namoram de maos dadas. De facto como e mansa e boa a Polana nas suas ruas, tuneis de frescura atapetados de veludo vermelho. Tudo joga tao certo, tudo esta tao bem como num filme tecnicolorido. Passam. Passam e tornam a passar. Ninguem se apercebe de nada. Rui Knopfli ___________ Winds of Change Nobody notices anything. A sun as violent as madness is shining and boisterous laughter bursts on the violet whiteness of the pavement. This is the garish Africa of postcards, of linen suits, obsessive heat and ice-cold beer. Passers-by are passing by and passing by again. More boisterous laughter bursts, each laugh radiating outwards from the other in concentric circles. Little servant boys stand jabbering on shady street corners, adding a touch of local colour, and in dark doorways adolescents love each other, holding hands. How truly calm and pleasant is Polana with streets like cool tunnels carpeted in crimson velvet. Everything is as it should be, everything as rosy as a technicolour film. Passers-by are passing by and passing by again. Nobody notices anything. Rui Knopfli Translated by Suzette Macedo

Little boy blue, Come blow your horn, The sheep's in the meadow The cow's in the corn; Where's the boy Who looks after the sheep? He's under the haystack Fast asleep. Will you wake him? No, not I! For if I do, he's sure to cry. -- from Mother Goose -- And what about little girl blue? - - - Sit there and count your fingers What can you do Old girl you're through Sit there, count your little fingers Unhappy little girl blue. Sit there and count the raindrops Falling on you It's time you knew All you can ever count on Are the raindrops That fall on little girl blue Won't you just sit there Count the little raindrops Falling on you 'Cause it's time you knew All you can ever count on Are the raindrops That fall on little girl blue No use old girl You might as well surrender 'Cause your hopes are getting slender and slender Why won't somebody send a tender blue boy To cheer up little girl blue - - as sung by Nina Simone