Nicanor Parra

The Man He Imagined

The man he imagined
lives in a mansion he imagined
in the middle of trees he imagined
on the banks of a river he imagined
 
on the walls he imagined
hang old paintings he imagined
unmendable cracks he imagined
pictures of worlds he imagined
in times and places he imagined
 
every afternoon-afternoons he imagined
he climbs the stairs he imagined
and goes out to the balcony he imagined
to look at the landscape he imagined
the valley he imagined
surrounded by hills he imagined
 
ghosts he imagined
come down the road he imagined
singing songs he imagined
to the setting sun he imagined
 
and on the nights when there’s a moon he imagined
he dreams about the woman he imagined
who gave him the love he imagined
he feels the old pain
the same pleasure he imagined
and his heart begins beating again
the heart of the man he imagined
 
Translated by Edith Grossman

#EscritoresChilenos (1985) Hojas de parra

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