harmony in the boudoir::armonía en el tocador

Harmony in the boudoir

After years of marriage, he stands at the foot of the bed and tells his wife that she will never know him, that for everything he says there is more that more that he does not say, that behind each word he utters there is another word, and hundreds more behind that one. All those unsaid words, he says, contain his true self, which has been betrayed by the superficial self before her. "So you see," he says, kicking off his slippers, "I am more than what I have led you to believe I am." "Oh you silly man," says his wife, "of course you are. I find that just thinking of you having so many selves receding into nothingness is very exciting. That you barely exist as you are couldn't please me more."

Mark Strand

Almost invisible

Borzoi Book, Alfred Knopf Editor, USA (2012)

 Armonía en el tocador

Después de años de matrimonio, él se detiene a los pies de la cama y le dice a su esposa que ella nunca llegará a conocerlo, que por cada cosa que él dice hay mucho más que no dice, que detrás de cada palabra que emite hay otra palabra, y cientos de palabras detrás de esa. Todas esas palabras no dichas, dice, contienen su verdadero yo, que ha sido traicionado por el yo superficial frente a ella. "Así que ya ves", dice, quitándose sus pantuflas, "yo soy más de lo que te he hecho creer que soy." "Ay tonto", dice su esposa, "por supuesto que lo eres. Me parece que sólo de pensar que tienes tantos seres que retroceden hacia la nada es muy emocionante. Que apenas existes como eres no podría complacerme más."

Mark Strand

Almost invisible

Borzoi Book, Alfred Knopf Editor, USA (2012)