An Investigation of the Stone and the Shadow

a poem by

Giorgio Agamben

The Lion dreams
and
dreams the Rose.
The Rose dreams
and dreams the King.
The King
dreams
and dreams the law.
The law dreams
and dreams grace.
Grace
dreams
and dreams the circle.
The circle dreams
and dreams the
line.
The line dreams
and dreams pain.
Pain dreams
and
dreams the scale.
The scale dreams
and dreams the shadow.
The
shadow dreams
and dreams Gold.
Gold dreams
and dreams the
stone.
The stone dreams
and dreams the serpent.
The serpent
dreams
and dreams poison.
Poison dreams
and dreams death.
Death
dreams
and dreams destiny.
Destiny dreams
and dreams life.
Life
dreams
and dreams the mask.
The mask dreams
and dreams god.
God
dreams
and dreams the word.
The word dreams
and dreams the
Rose.
The Rose dreams
and dreams man.

Man dreams
and
dreams the stone.

[First published forty years ago in the journal
Nuovi Argomenti (11),
July-September 1968.]