Saudade – the love that stays

Been trying to, but I am not sure I did a very good job at translating Portuguese saudade in English. Hmm, I perfectly understand the concept, and still my translation attempts were not very successful. Started to question my English vocabulary, only to realise what had actually happened: it makes perfect sense to me maybe because the closest translation of saudade is in Romanian! We have dor (sorry, again no English equivalent to do it justice, I’m afraid), and guess what – in the same way saudade is best expressed in bittersweet Fado – Romanian dor comes with its song: doina!

Saudade is the incompleteness, the melancholic longing for something (someone) you were very found of and which is gone. A very sad tone and happy at the same time as you think about things that happened in the past. A turning towards the past or towards the future, a desire for something unattainable – sometimes just because it doesn’t exist.

It’s been said that if you ask 10 people to explain saudade or Fado each will come up with a different version because it’s deeply personal and it depends on the mood of the moment. Surely haven’t originated during the Great Portuguese Discoveries, as some may say (simply because saudade was found in use before 1415), but most probably given meaning by the sadness felt about those who departed to unknown seas never to be returned. May be completely unrelated, but I can’t help but thinking of Moorish songs and homesick sailors.

To be sure I managed to confuse you, poetry of my choice (can’t help it as usual – really proud to be ridiculously odd to love stuff like this):

One wish alone have I In the quiet of the night Beside the sea to die A peaceful sleep With the forest near Above, a heaven clear No candles shine Nor tomb I need, instead Let them for me a bed Of twigs entwine. M. Eminescu, One wish alone have I (Mai am un singur dor)

All sorts of ways of describing saudade, and I shall choose my favourite. For me it’s not about what I lost, but about the love that remains. For when you’re gone, I shall miss you, as my love for you stays. As promised, missing you will always bring a smile