I stayed away from work for years.
I devoted myself to travel and to exchanging impressions with those around me,
I devoted myself to sleep;
But scenes out of my past life kept coming back to mind.
As I danced I kept thinking of absurd things:
I'd think of some lettuce I'd seen the day before
Walking past the kitchen,
I'd think of innumerable fantastic things concerning my family.
In the meantime the boat sailed up the river,
Gutting its way through a bank of Medusas.
Those photographic scenes affected my spirit
And forced me to lock myself in my cabin:
I forced myself to eat, I rebelled against myself,
I was a constant danger on board
Since at any moment I might come up with some strange nonsense.

translated by Jorge Elliot
traducido por Jorge Elliot

en: Antipoems (translated by Jorge Elliott), San Francisco, City Lights Books, The Pocket Poets Series, Nº12, 1960.