The Street Poem by Octavio Paz

The Street

Rating: 3.4


Here is a long and silent street.
I walk in blackness and I stumble and fall
and rise, and I walk blind, my feet
trampling the silent stones and the dry leaves.
Someone behind me also tramples, stones, leaves:
if I slow down, he slows;
if I run, he runs I turn : nobody.
Everything dark and doorless,
only my steps aware of me,
I turning and turning among these corners
which lead forever to the street
where nobody waits for, nobody follows me,
where I pursue a man who stumbles
and rises and says when he sees me : nobody.

COMMENTS OF THE POEM
Seamus O Brian 01 March 2018

The reader is slowly drawn hesitatingly into this piece by the dark and uncertain mood. What are we observing here, in this late hour, upon this lonely street? Our understanding unfolds even as the subject's understanding unfolds. We finally realize we are watching a desperate man being chased by, and chasing after: himself. Truly a striking work of art utilizing mood, imagery, incisive vocabulary to impart a compelling and dramatic message.

10 1 Reply
Nudershada Cabanes 01 March 2018

A poem of suspense with a dark mood.wonderfully crafted.

5 1 Reply
gfdhjtyh r6yu r 14 May 2019

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1 4 Reply
Edward Kofi Louis 01 March 2018

Silent street! ! Thanks for sharing this poem with us.

4 1 Reply
Susan Williams 01 March 2018

What a twisting and turning frightening tale of a man haunted by himself. Reading master poets like this puts us in our place and leave us nothing to do but strive harder to paint our scenery and paint our story

4 1 Reply
urboyme 17 February 2021

BEE U TI FULL

1 0 Reply
mckenzie zellowa 21 June 2020

what a beatiful poem

1 1 Reply
Dr Antony Theodore 25 May 2020

Everything dark and doorless, only my steps aware of me, I turning and turning among these corners which lead forever to the street. a very fine poem. tony

2 2 Reply
Soran M. H 21 December 2019

thanks for this great poem, I have translated into Arabic and Kurdish, it is one of my favorite poem, well done for this submission and translation..

6 2 Reply
Rashedur 29 July 2019

Here is a long and silent street. what a poem.

3 1 Reply
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