Cecília Meireles and Távola Redonda magazine: the search for the grail of poetry

Abstract

Távola Redonda magazine circulated in Portugal between January 15, 1950 and July 1954, with David Mourão-Ferreira as one of its main na­mes. Outlining a reaction to Neorealism and echoing speeches expressed in the predecessor magazine Presença, he claimed a literature based on subjectivity and the individual expression of the author. The publica­tion thus established a clear opposition to the neorealists who prioritized a poetry committed to its historical and social moment, that is, above the nuances of the “i”. In this context and inserted in the Portuguese literary scene, the name of Cecilia Meireles appears, who integrated this list of poets “welcomed” with sympathy and, more than that, admira­tion for the pages of the Távola. The fascicle number 12, of February 29, 1952, published four poems that appeared under the title “Poesias inédi­tas” (Unpublished poetry), in addition to a critical text, “Cecília Meireles, acerca da sua poesia” (Cecília Meireles, about your poetry), written by David Mourão-Ferreira. In this way, the driving forces of the publication and the proximity that led the Brazilian poet to appear in the magazine stand out, highlighting the importance of her participation in the perio­dical and the Portuguese-Brazilian dialogue established there.