XXXII - When I have sense of what to sense appears,

by Fernando Pessoa · s.d. (uncertain date)
Published 01/07/1880

When I have sense of what to sense appears,

Sense is sense ere 'tis mine or mine in me is.

When I hear, Hearing, ere I do hear, hears.

When I see, before me abstract Seeing sees.

I am part Soul part I in all I touch —

Soul by that part I hold in common with all,

And I the spoiled part, that doth make sense such

As I can err by it and my sense mine call.

The rest is wondering what these thoughts may mean,

That come to explain and suddenly are gone,

Like messengers that mock the message' mien,

Explaining all but the explanation;

      As if we a ciphered letter's cipher hit

      And find it in an unknown language writ.

#consciousness #epistemology #fernando pessoa #language #perception #self

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