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
traducido por Edith Grossman

en: Antipoems: New and Selected (edited by David Unger), New York, New Directions, 1985.