nervo torto ao seu lugar
twisted nerve back in its place
encontrosdaimagem.com
Three turns around the equestrian statue, taken by lovesick girls — a promised marriage arises by spontaneous generation. Three little hops to beg the Saint for a lost thing to reveal itself to the eyes.
In a land plowed by faith, it would be strange if devotions and requests to the most varied patron saints were not forged — meaning no disrespect — which seem to become universal across the Portuguese geography, later adapted to local regions and backyards.
Originally from the Alentejo, from an early age I was confronted with a certain chanted folk medicine that, being a curious child, sparked reactions in me across a spectrum ranging from suppressed laughter to motionless stupefaction — I was listening to a master.
I sew!
Broken flesh, twisted nerve!
That is exactly why I sew you.
A grandson, I listened to her while she made the sign of the cross on the palm of the hand.
I sew!
I grew accustomed, involuntarily, to adopting the ritual.
✸
Little Saint Anthony arose
Asked what are you doing, Luzia
How would this ailment be drawn out
With three sprigs of rosemary
And the oil of agony
‘Forga bisonga’ he told her three times
Banish witches and sorceresses from my house
I bless you Maria from the moon and the evil eye
I bless you Maria of praise
And of weeping, take away this evil
Evil eye, if you passed through here
And took Maria's health away
If you are the evil eye, may God bless you
Oh tendon that dislocated
Oh shin that tore
Oh bone that grew numb
2026