Adelaide Batista was born in Nordeste, S. Miguel Açores.  From a family of emigrants, Adelaide came to the United States in her teens where she did her undergraduate and graduate studies in Literature.  She did her PhD in Portugal and now teaches at the University of the Azores.  She has published poetry and prose.  She has been active in the islands political life, and is a past president of the Azorean Institute for Social Action. She resides in Ponta Delgada.  She has just published a novel (January of 2005) that is being translated to English. 

When the island awakens

she is all novelty

swept sun

soaked Himalayan ginger 

Bewitched swoon

course of water

Freshness!  Humidity!

Orgasmic lightness

in the shaggy moss

A single grape

in the turned chalice

Face of a child

tattered fragment

Hurtful hook

refraction of a beam

In the captive water

Awoken island

miracle of life

translated from the Portuguese by Diniz Borges

included in the bilingual anthology published by University of Califórnia, Berkeley—On a Leaf of Blue

Quando a ilha acorda

toda ela novidade

sol varrido

conteia molhada

desmaio enfeitiçado

curso de água

Frescura! Humidade!

Leveza orgásmica

no musgo felpudo

Bago de uva

no cálice deitado

Rosto de criança

fragmento esfarrapado

Farpa dorida

refracção de raio

na água cativa

Ilha acordada

milagre de Vida.