The Gate of Paradox

Fire or water?

Like a flowing book
like a door of water
like a thirsty sea
like a liquid fire hook
like some milk of red-hot coal
like a pyre sobbing in the mirror
like an earthquake of water
like a molten clock
fire fire
     water water

hour stone
        tinder hell
locum refrigerii a spot of verdure
whence all the woe and sigh
have faded away

''You cannot swim
     twice
          in the same
               earthquake...!''
          Now and for evermore flame
               and throughout the eternal
                    flow of flowing.
                         Full stop.
                                                 in Unicorn in the mirror, 1975

                                            English version by Gabriela PACHIA