Poetry - by Pablo Neruda

And it was at that age…Poetry arrived
in search of me. I don’t know, I don’t know where
it came from, from winter or a river.
I don’t know how or when,
no, they were not voices, they were not
words, nor silence,
but from a street I was summoned,
from the branches of night,
abruptly from the others,
among violent fires
or returning alone,
there I was without a face
and it touched me.

I did not know what to say, my mouth
had no way
with names
my eyes were blind,
and something started in my soul,
fever or forgotten wings,
and I made my own way,
deciphering
that fire
and I wrote the first faint line,
faint, without substance, pure
nonsense,
pure wisdom
of someone who knows nothing,
and suddenly I saw
the heavens
unfastened
and open,
planets,
palpitating planations,
shadow perforated,
riddled
with arrows, fire and flowers,
the winding night, the universe.

And I, infinitesmal being,
drunk with the great starry
void,
likeness, image of
mystery,
I felt myself a pure part
of the abyss,
I wheeled with the stars,
my heart broke free on the open sky.

Comments

Nice One x)

Hi there. I’m chilean (like Pablo Neruda), and is a very pleasant thing that his talent is recognize and appreciate out here.
By the way (my english is a poor thing, better reading than spelling), it’s a funny thing read this in english :P
Here we celebrate all this year the centennial of his born (this is the right way to say this?)The activities inlcudes: medals (for bono from u2); tributes; concerts; and many others activities, prepare from last year (like this aproach form the Standford University)
For more info in this subject, visit:
http://www.centenariopabloneruda.cl/ (spanish)
http://www.fundacionneruda.org/info.htm

:)
And some more poetry: here are some elementary odes.

Regards from this far away place, and thanks for this piece of beauty!
Roberto Rivera.

Hi Roberto - you've got the r

Hi Roberto - you’ve got the right name to be posting on RobsHouse! I have rarely read poetry that has such an instant and profound effect on me emotionally as that from Pablo Neruda. I am thankful that the English translations retain so much beauty. It must be a joy to read them in Spanish.

One would say “on the centennial of his birth”.

Thank you for sharing the links with us.

-Rob

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