The story of the poem begins in João Cabral de Melo Neto’s private press in 1949. This poem is what was then called a “plaquete” (or booklet). The publication consists of a single, long poem by Vinicius. Friends since 1942, when Vinicius visited Recife with Waldo Frank, the two diplomats from the Brazilian Ministry of Foreign Affairs corresponded frequently during that time. It was a period when Vinicius was still in Los Angeles, and João Cabral was in Barcelona.