Between What I see And What I Say

[resisting arrest with violence]

Between What I see And What I Say -Octavio Paz (Nobel Laureate)


Between what I see and what I say
Between what I say and what I keep silent
Between what I keep silent and what I dream
Between what I dream and what I forget:

poetry.


It slips
between yes and no,

says
what I keep silent,

keeps silent
what I say,

dreams
what I forget.

It is not speech:
it is an act.

It is an act
of speech.

Poetry
speaks and listens:

it is real.
And as soon as I say

it is real,
it vanishes.

Is it then more real?
Tangible idea,

Intangible
word:

poetry
comes and goes.

Between what is
And what is not.

It weaves
And unweaves reflections.

Poetry
Scatters eyes on a page,
Scatters words on our eyes.
Eyes speak,

Words look,
Looks think.

To hear
Thoughts,

See
What we say,

Touch
The body of an idea.

Eyes close,
The words open.