The Fifth Empire...

God wills, man dreams, the task is born.

God wanted the world to be whole,

The sea to connect, and no longer divide.

He chose you and you went forth unraveling the foam,

And the white rim went from island to continent,

Clearing up, racing, to the end of the world,

And the whole Earth was suddenly seen,

Emerging, round, from the deep blue.

He who hallowed you, made you Portuguese.

Of the sea and us, in you he gave us a sign.

The Sea was accomplished, and the Empire was undone.

Lord, Portugal is yet to be accomplished!

"Mensagem" by Fernando Pessoa

This poem, dedicated to Prince Henry, the Navigator, is one of the best known in Mensagem. The often-cited last verse is related with the main theme of the Poem: Portugal has a mission, the first part of which was the spearheading of the Discoveries (the unraveling of the foam, that went from island to continent). But its accomplishment as a nation is not yet complete for there is a second part to its mission: the showing of the way to the Fifth Empire!

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We're ready!

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FerdoS