rumination on saudade...

saudade is a portuguese word for longing, or missing something or someone. the feeling that it implies is rather profound, although many times that i have stayed in Brazil they have told me that the word is untranslatable, however i disagree. the word is translatable, but i think at times the feeling is not.

was just listening to the pinback song "tres" and it reminded me of when i saw them live, and rob (one of the singers/multintrumentalists) was singing "hello?" in the loneliest voice and tone that i've ever heard before, and i think that is saudade.

the interesting thing to me is that the word can mean such bright and happy, and such dull, deep pain when used in particular concepts. a brazilian will say "morri de saudades..." meaning "i died of longing" upon re-encountering with someone special but this can sometimes be bright. i've heard of at least one brazilian, probably a poet, spoke of his longing to see Brazil through the expression "saudade" but died without ever seeing it again.