Octavio Paz

Axis

Axis - meaning Summary

Bodies Entwined as Elements

The poem describes an intimate, reciprocal fusion between two beings using elemental and bodily images. Repeated phrases—"conduits" of blood, bone, night, sun—portray continuous exchange and mutual penetration. The speaker alternates identity with the beloved, becoming sun, night, water, wheat and forest, suggesting cyclical transformation and a mystical unity where physical and natural elements flow between bodies to create a single, porous whole.

Read Complete Analyses

Through the conduits of blood my body in your body spring of night my tongue of sun in your forest your body a kneading trough I red wheat Through conduits of bone I night I water I forest that moves forward I body I sun-bone Through the conduits of night spring of bodies You night of wheat you forest in the sun you waiting water you kneading trough of bones Through the conduits of sun my night in your night my sun in your sun my wheat in your kneading trough your forest in my tongue Through the conduits of the body water in the night your body in my body Spring of bones Spring of suns

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