a ruga e a mão

   Abstract This essay examines the lyric poetry of Viriato da Cruz (March 25, 1928–June 13, 1973), published in Lisbon in 1961 by the Casa dos Estudantes do Império under the title Poemas . It analyzes the relationship between sonic rhythm and the militant commitments of the author, one of the principal leaders and theorists of the struggle for Angolan independence and socialist revolution, as well as one of Angola’s most accomplished poets.   An Extended Introduction Since the 1950s, Viriato da Cruz’s poetry has served as a major point of reference for Angolan nationalists and revolutionaries. The significance and impact of his verse were recognized as early as 1949 [1] by the Cape Verdean neo-realist Filinto Elísio de Menezes. The typescript of “Apontamentos sobre a poesia de Angola” (“Notes on Angolan Poetry”), preserved in the papers of Mário Pinto de Andrade (Menezes 1949), contains two graphically indented subtitles, each preceded by a dash and placed ...