The statue of poet Carlos Drummond de Andrade, in Copacabana, has new glasses. The city hall of Rio de Janeiro, through the Municipal Department of Conservation, once again recovered the monument, which had the item stolen at the end of april. This is, according to the secretary, the 14th time that the glasses are replaced. 
The glasses were replaced last Friday (7). The city hall also informed that, in addition to replacing the glasses, made of bronze, the team from the Management of Monuments and Fountains, linked to Conservation, installed a new identification plate, which reads the name of the poet and the year of inauguration of the statue. Drummond is also one of the city’s monuments monitored by cameras, in order to prevent theft and depredations.
Located on Avenida Atlântica, opposite Avenida Rainha Elizabeth, in Copacabana, the statue of Carlos Drummond de Andrade was installed in 2002, in celebration of the poet’s centenary. Made by Leo Santana, it is inspired by a photo taken in the same place by photographer Rogério Reis. The writer is sitting on a bench, facing the boardwalk. On the bench is inscribed a verse of his poem but we will live: On the sea was written a city. The place is currently one of the important tourist spots on the Rio coast.
Statue of Carlos Drummond de Andrade on the Copacabana boardwalk has glasses replaced after being stolen. – Fernando Frazão/Agência Brasil
This Monday, it was rare for Drummond to be alone, there was always someone close by to sit on the bench, share the view with him and take a picture. Professor Jane Pereira, from São Paulo, was one of the tourists who made a point of paying tribute to the poet.
“For me it’s a thrill to be here in front of his statue. It’s something important for me,” he said, after taking a series of photos next to the statue. When she learned of the multiple thefts, she was impressed. “I’m very sad about people damaging public monuments. The statue is something that is there for us to honor. You shouldn’t do that, it’s something that is there for future generations, it has a whole history that we must preserve”.
Tourists take a photo with a statue of the poet Drummond on the Copacabana boardwalk – Fernando Frazão/Agência Brasil
Carlos Drummond de Andrade lived between 1902 and 1987 and is considered one of the greatest names in Brazilian poetry. Mineiro, was born in Itabira de Mato Dentro and lived in Rio de Janeiro between 1934 and 1987. His poetic style was permeated by traces of irony, observations of everyday life, pessimism towards life and humor. One of his most famous poems is Midway.
