The prismatic poetry of Manuel Bandeira

Abstract

Manuel Bandeira (1886-1968) is one of the most distinguished and beloved lyric poets of Brazil, whose activities in favor of the new modernist aesthetic include diverse areas of art, culture and education. He debuted in 1917 with The Ash of the Hours and soon became one of the icons of Modernism, well respected by the artists of The Week of Modern Art of São Paulo (1922). At the end of a productive poetic career, we can state that the best heritage of Bandeira is the universality, since he transited through the traditional and avant-garde forms and techniques and explored themes that embrace the lyrical tradition and those that emphasize the daily life and the bewilderment of the modern man in the big city.