WhatcanIholdyouwith?Iofferyouleanstreets,desperatesunsets,themoonofthejaggedsuburbs.

Iofferyouthebitternessofamanwhohaslookedlongandlongatthelonelymoon.Iofferyoumyancestors,mydeadmen,theghos

tsthatlivingmenhavehonouredinbronze:myfather'sfatherkilledinthefrontierofBuenosAires,twobulletsthroughhislungs,beardedanddead,wrappedbyhissoldiersinthehideofacow;mymother'sgrandfather--justtwentyfour--headingachargeofthreehundredmeninPeru,nowghostsonvanishedhorses.Iofferyouwhateverinsightmybooksmayhold,whatevermanlinessorhumourmylife.Iofferyoutheloyaltyofamanwhohasneverbeenloyal.IofferyouthatkernelofmyselfthatIhavesaved,somehowthecentralheartthatdealsnotinwords,trafficsnotwithdreams,andisuntouchedbytime,byjoy,byadversities.Iofferyouthememoryofayellowroseseenatsunset,yearsbeforeyouwereborn.Iofferyouexplanationsofyourself,theoriesaboutyourself,authenticandsurprisingnewsofyourself.Icangiveyoumyloneliness,mydarkness,thehungerofmyheart;Iamtryingtobribeyouwithuncertainty,withdanger,withdefeat.