O Canto e as Armas, by Manuel Alegre

O Canto e as Armas," published in 1967, brings together combat poetry by Manuel Alegre. By touching on themes such as freedom, the political oppression of the dictatorship, the colonial war, emigration, and exile, the work was censored. In 1970, his mother took charge of printing 2000 copies of the book, which sold out in just 6 days. Poems from this book were sung by various artists, including Zeca Afonso, Adriano Correia de Oliveira, Manuel Freire, and Luís Cília, becoming symbols of anti-fascism.

Manuel Alegre

He was born on May 12, 1936, in Águeda. He studied Law at the University of Coimbra, where he actively participated in academic struggles. While serving in the military in Angola, he took part in the first attempt at rebellion against the colonial war, which led to his arrest by the PIDE and, consequently, exile in Algiers.
In 1964, he went into exile in France, where he continued to fight for democracy and social justice. After April 25, 1974, Manuel Alegre returned to Portugal and became actively involved in politics, becoming a prominent figure in the Socialist Party.
His poetry, influenced by his experiences, addresses themes such as freedom, resistance, solidarity, and hope.