Cora Coralina
“The folkloric elements that were part of Anna’s daily life served as inspiration for that fragile woman to become the owner of an unmatched voice, and her poetry reached a level of literary quality never before attained by any other poet from the Brazilian Midwest.”
“A master of powerful words, Anna wrote with simplicity, and her ignorance of grammar rules contributed to her artistic production prioritizing message over form. Concerned with understanding the world she was in, and also comprehending the real role she should represent, Anna embarked on a quest for answers in her daily life, living every minute in the complex atmosphere of the City of Goiás, which allowed her to discover how simplicity can be the best path to achieving the highest richness of spirit.”
Cora Coralina, the pseudonym of Anna Lins dos Guimarães Peixoto Bretas, was a Brazilian poet and short story writer. She is considered one of the most important Brazilian writers.
A simple woman, a confectioner by profession, having lived far from the major urban centers, oblivious to literary trends, she produced a poetic work rich in themes from the daily life of the Brazilian countryside, particularly from the alleys and historic streets of Goiás.
Cora Coralina was born in Goiás on August 20, 1889. She was the daughter of Francisco de Paula Lins dos Guimarães Peixoto, a judge appointed by D. Pedro II, and Dona Jacyntha Luiza do Couto Brandão.
She began writing her first texts at the age of 14, despite her limited education, having only completed the first four grades. The earliest record of her literary life dates back to 1907, through the weekly ‘A Rosa’.
At the time she published this chronicle, or a little before, Cora Coralina began attending the gatherings of the