In 1954, Vinicius de Moraes expressed the challenge of being a father from a distance.

• Letter from Vinicius de Moraes to his first daughter, Susana de Moraes.
• One sheet, one page.
• In Portuguese.
• 20.6 cm x 29.1 cm.
• Paris, July 31, 1954.
• Average condition, some fold marks, an ink stain that does not harm the text.
• Unique piece.

Excerpts

(...) It's likely that many people think I'm an ungrateful father, and more than one person has come here saying: - You need to write to your children...! But I know best, my dear. I know how much I love you. I hate writing letters. Letters seem artificial to me, from the obligation to put a closing on top to the classic ending.

(...) Absence is a terrible thing, and there is nothing to be done about it. I am trying to figure out how to go on vacation to Brazil next year to see you, because I miss you and Pedrinho so much, so much and beyond repair. It is a love that never goes away, that of a father and mother.

(...) I think it's beautiful that I had a part in creating a little woman who is this sweetheart that you are.

(...) If I believed in God, I would ask the heavens for health and all the happiness in the world for you. But since I only believe in people, it is you that I ask, as if I were asking God, to look after your health, to take care of your happiness (...).

(...) Time will pass, your father will grow old and all this long absence will end forever. Then, we will see each other every day, as it should be. Fathers should be old. Young fathers should not exist. I, for one, am dying to grow old so that I can be just your father. I love you, my little daughter.

In 1954, Vinicius de Moraes was a diplomat and worked as the Brazilian vice-consul in Paris. In addition to his diplomatic activities, he also continued to develop his literary and musical career. During this period, Vinicius de Moraes was in contact with important figures in the artistic and cultural scene, both in Brazil and abroad, which influenced his work. This phase was essential for the maturation of his poetry and for his approach to music, which would become central to his career in the following years, especially with the bossa nova movement.

The poet had a very close and affectionate relationship with his children, expressing special affection for each of them at different times in his life. Over the years, Vinicius wrote many affectionate letters to Susana, his first daughter, especially when he was abroad due to his work as a diplomat. In his letters, he expressed great longing and a desire to be present in her life, also revealing his aspirations, concerns and the pride he felt for her. Susana, in turn, was a supportive figure for her father and, like him, pursued a career in the arts, becoming a filmmaker. She was also responsible for preserving and promoting her father's work after his death, helping to consolidate Vinicius' legacy in Brazilian culture.

This letter is Vinicius de Moraes in his essence. He questions himself about his role as a father, his absence, his longing, his daughter’s education, God, among other topics. He signs it as “Darling”, the nickname Susana used to call him. Letters from Vinicius de Moraes are very rare on the market, and for his eldest daughter, Susana, even more so; only a few have appeared in the last 15 years.