Medieval Islamic and later Portuguese poetry

Wednesday 11 April 2012 in Portugal.

After yesterday, today to the ancient fortress town on the south coast, Cacela Velha.

In various ways, the small town remembers one of its most famous inhabitants, Muslim poet Ibn Darraj al Qastalli (958-1030).

A square was named after the poet.

One can read lines from a poem by Ibn Darraj on spring in Portuguese, English and French.

Not far away, lines from that poem in Portuguese only.

The Moroccan-Spanish society also honours Ibn Darraj in Cacela Velha (though the poet was born in Portugal, he was of Moroccan Berber ancestry).

Later Portuguese poets are also honoured with streets named after them in this town.

For instance, the poetess Teresa Rita Lopes, born in 1937, is honoured with this street sign.

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