Dualities and apparent contradictions in Carlos Drummond de Andrade’s poetry

Abstract

From the analysis of the poems “Os ombros suportam o mundo” and “Mas viveremos”, both written by Carlos Drummond de Andrade and published in the books Sentimento do Mundo (1940) and A Rosa do Povo (1945), respectively, we can contemplate the apparent contradiction and duality in Drummond’s work as a problematic issue in many of his writings, and not only in one of his books. They also demonstrate the evolution of the poet’s voice. Furthermore, these poems may relate not only because of this apparent contradiction, but also because of the use of specific images that reveal a poetic procedure, which mobilizes a thematic pillar and suggests the possibility of a “yes” coexisting with a “no” in poetry. Besides, it is possible to draw a timeline between them, considering that both poems convey images from the past, present, and future, in a constant transition.