Better in spanish maybe

I Like You When You Are Silent

from "20 Love Poems and a Song of Despair" collection - 1924

I like you when you are silent because you are as though absent, and you hear me from afar, and my voice does not touch you. It seems as though your eyes had flown away from you and it seems as though a kiss had shut your mouth. As all things are full of my soul you emerge from all things, full of my soul. Butterfly of slumber, you seem like my soul, and you look like the word melancholy. I like you when you are silent and you are as though distant. And you are as if plaintive, a butterfly cooing. And you hear me from afar, and my voice does not reach you: let me be silent with your silence. Let me speak to you as well with your silence bright as a lantern, simple as a ring. You are like the night, hushed and full of stars. Your silence is of the stars, so distant and simple. I like you when you are still because you are as though absent. Distant and mournful as if you had died. One word then, one smile is enough. And I am happy, happy that it is not true. ______________________________________________________________ This is the poem I attempted to post on old ChezWhat? that came out all messed up. I still like it in spanish better I think, because for me there is more mystery to spanish than english.