A paixão pelo extremo exercício da beleza, em A faca não corta o fogo

We propose a reading of Herberto Helder’s book A faca não corta o fogo (2009),
divided into three consecutive moments. We begin by analysing the intertextual relations with the Bible, the poetry of the troubadours and Camões’ lyrical poetry, among other dialogues. In a second moment, following the various voices within Herberto Helder’s poetry, we explain some meaningful aspects of a personal poetic art, embodied in an elliptic, intense and visceral writing, which distances itself from day-to-day life. In the third and last moment we focus on passion in its relation with beauty, on passion as the power that motivates the creative process, a confl uence of energies and settings, placed between pure joy and terror, as possible representations of the sacred.