Sunday, September 14, 2008

The Stone and the Shadow


An Investigation of the Stone and the Shadow
a poem by Giorgio Agamben

The Lion dreams
and dreams the Rose.
The Rose dreams
and dreams the King.
The King dreams
and dreams the law.
The law dreams
and dreams grace.
Grace dreams
and dreams the circle.
The circle dreams
and dreams the line.
The line dreams
and dreams pain.
Pain dreams
and dreams the scale.
The scale dreams
and dreams the shadow.
The shadow dreams
and dreams Gold.
Gold dreams
and dreams the stone.
The stone dreams
and dreams the serpent.
The serpent dreams
and dreams poison.
Poison dreams
and dreams death.
Death dreams
and dreams destiny.
Destiny dreams
and dreams life.
Life dreams
and dreams the mask.
The mask dreams
and dreams god.
God dreams
and dreams the word.
The word dreams
and dreams the Rose.
The Rose dreams
and dreams man.

Man dreams
and dreams the stone.

[First published forty years ago in the journal Nuovi Argomenti (11), July-September 1968.]

1 comment:

Nicola Masciandaro said...

Given the *form* of your blog and the deep glossability of this poem, please note the upcoming volume of commentary in the works via Glossator. Call for proposals forthcoming in a few months.

Nicola Masciandaro