Wednesday, August 28, 2013

Pablo Neruda

I have a confession... I don't like poetry. I enjoy beautiful prose, poetic descriptions, but as a whole I don't like poetry. I think this came from years in school of having to read PG poems, with forced rhymes, and a traumatic memory of having to recite a Shel Sylverstin poem in front of many people. When I am forced to read or listen to a poem now, I have to force myself to keep my brain from disengaging.
I can't say I had ever been moved by a poem, until I came across the works of Pablo Neruda. I get it now, the romance, the pain, the beauty in the form of expression. I get the value of a poem. I can listen to his poems read over and over, and enjoy them every time.
His words memorize me, and capture my imagination in profound ways.
Here are some of his poems read by wonderful voices.

Walking Around Read by Samuel L. Jackson

Tonight I Can Write the Saddest Lines:

I am aware that Pablo Neruda is Chilean, not Spanish. His poetry is widely known worldwide, but as his native language was Spanish, people are more familiar with his work here. His poems devastate me in an artful way that keeps me coming back.

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