From that day on, Carlos never used the verb cruzar again without first checking his dictionary—and his dignity. Whether literal, artistic, or accidental, "porco cruzando com mulher" reminds us that language is a living, slippery thing. Always check your prepositions. And never underestimate the poetic power of a pig.
The gate latch was loose. Vicente knew this. Margarida knew this.
Because Carlos had confused cruzando (crossing paths) with cruzar (to breed or mate). Instead of saying "a pig crossing the road with a woman," he had announced to twenty-seven strangers: "I want to describe a photo: a pig mating with a woman."
This is the moment poetry fears to describe: when the sacred profane meets the profane sacred, and the universe shrugs. Carlos had been learning Portuguese for exactly three weeks. Confident and caffeinated, he stood before his online class and declared, "Quero descrever uma foto: um porco cruzando com uma mulher."
