Marcus Vinicius da Cruz e Mello Moraes(October 19, 1913 – July 9, 1980), also known as Vinícius de Moraes (Portuguese pronunciation: viˈnisjuʃ dʒi moˈɾajʃ) and nicknamed O Poetinha ("The little poet"), was a Brazilian poet, lyricist, essayist, and playwright who later became a seminal figure in modern Brazilian music and literature. He served as a diplomat; composed his own bossa nova music; and as an interpreter of his own lyrics, recorded several albums.