O Bêbado e a Equilibrista [English translation]

Evening fell like a bridge

A drunk wearing a funeral suit reminded me of Chaplin’s tramp

The moon, like a brothel madam

begged from each cold star a rented shine

And clouds, up there in the blotting paper of the sky

sucked on tortured stains, what crazy agony

The drunk wearing a bowler hat was being irreverent

for Brazil’s night, my Brazil

is dreaming of the return of Henfil’s brother

of so many people who left on the tail of a rocket

Our gentle mother country is crying

Marias and Clarices are crying on Brazil’s soil

But I know that pain this sharp won’t be in vain

Hope dances on the tightrope with an umbrella

And with each step on this rope you can hurt yourself

Bad luck, the balancing hope

knows that each artist’s show

must go on