Camilo Pessanha, a seminal figure of Portuguese symbolism, drew profound inspiration from his experiences in Macau, particularly from Chinese culture. His poetry, characterized by its introspective and melancholic tone, significantly influenced the Orpheu generation, including notable figures like Fernando Pessoa and Mário de Sá-Carneiro. Pessanha is celebrated for his mastery of symbolic verse, which not only defined the peak of the movement in Portuguese but also foreshadowed modernist fragmentation. His collected works, published posthumously, are considered a cornerstone of modern Portuguese literature.
The first and only collection of poems to be published by the Portuguese writer Camilo Pessanha during his lifetime, Clepsydra is the crowning achievement of the Portuguese symbolist movement. Meditating on the inexorable flow of time, Pessanha sets the music of his verses against the babbling water clock that gives the book its title.