Sunday, January 20, 2008

Questions of who




Elusive shadow of my substance, stay,
Bewitching image that I want too well.
Illusion fair for whom in joy I die,
Fiction sweet for whom in pain I dwell.

If to the magnet of your gracious charms
My breast obedient as steel is drawn,
Why do you entice my enamored arms
If you would but escape me then in scorn?

Yet you must not think in your tyranny
That you quite succeed in vanquishing me:
For although you mock the tenuous ties
That ever will your phantom form despise,
What matter if my arms and breast you flee
If I keep you prisoner in my fantasy?

Sor Juana Ines de la Cruz

(c. 1650-1695)

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

a soul irresistibly drawn,
an elated slave of desire.
imbued with naught but yearning,
to remain fast bound in the fire.

kalurah said...

Wow. This is beautiful. Why don't people talk like that anymore??
Hey, I have something special for you over on my blog today! :)
Happy Thursday!

kalurah said...

Number 9.

. . . said...

sigh.