Billy Collins, a former U.S. poet laureate, has a new book called The Rain in Portugal. He says that the title is an admission of his difficulties in constructing rhymes.
The rhyming possibilities of “Portugal” are much more limited than those of “Spain.” Yet, Collins finds a way capture the poetry of life in Portugal. Here’s an excerpt of the poem that contains the title of the book.
On Rhyme
“[…] instead of recalling today where it pours mostly in Spain I’m going to picture the rain in Portugal.
How it falls on the hillside vineyards, on the surface of the deep harbors where fishing boats are swaying.
And in the narrow alleys of the cities where three boys in t-shirts are kicking a soccer ball in the rain ignoring the window cries of their mothers.”
Salt of Portugal 
And still the rain in Spain stays mainly on the plain.
But I like this poem…especially the last line.
I sort of think it takes some gall, to make a rhyme with Portugal.
The sun is hot, the wine is fine, I think I’ll drink instead.
A rhyme as fine as Douro wine!
I rejoiced living in Portugal for almost ten years. My children were born there and we left our hearts in Portugal. We still long for Portugal.
Brilliant!
Thank you so much for visiting our blog!
It is my pleasure. But if possible then do visit my blog as well!
I’m virtually a newbie, just 14 months now. In case you haven’t read it, I’d like to recommend my favourite book in English, titled “The Last Old Place” by an American diplomat and fisherman, the late Datus Poper, who had been posted in Brazil, then Angola and then Portugal, spoke portuguese and returned after retirement to visit with a Portuguese friend who takes him on a tour from south to north to show him his favourite haunts: a gem of a book.
Thanks a lot for the recommendation!