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3.98 AVERAGE
3.98 AVERAGE
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
fast-paced
emotional
fast-paced
Beautiful and evocative. A glimpse into Naruda's love for another. Revitalized my outlook on relationships.
emotional
reflective
relaxing
slow-paced
reading the english translations just makes me sad bc i’ll never understand these in their original language 😭
Content Warnings
Minor: Sexual content
More so a review of the translation then of the authors work. While the translator does a great job at some points you just can’t beat reading Neruda’s poems in the language they were written in. English makes his words sound so silly and I feel I can say that even though my Spanish skills leave a lot to be desired. That being said I really loved La Noche en la Isla, Tus pies, Tu Risa, El insecto, and the first part of Epitalamio. On a more off topic note being in Valparaiso, reading A wizard of Earthsea, and all of these poems which Neruda wrote on Capri has really rehabilitated my love of the ocean after spending 3 years in LA.
YOUR LAUGHTER
Take bread away from me, if you wish,
take air away, but
do not take from me your laughter.
Do not take away the rose,
the lanceflower that you pluck,
the water that suddenly
bursts forth in your joy,
the sudden wave
of silver born in you.
My struggle is harsh and I come back
with eyes tired
at times from having seen
the unchanging earth,
but when your laughter enters
it rises to the sky seeking me
and it opens for me all
the doors of life.
My love, in the darkest
hour your laughter
opens, and if suddenly
you see my blood staining
the stones of the street,
laugh, because your laughter
will be for my hands
like a fresh sword.
Next to the sea in the autumn,
your laughter must raise
its foamy cascade,
and in the spring, love,
I want your laughter like
the flower I was waiting for,
the blue flower, the rose
of my echoing country.
Laugh at the night,
at the day, at the moon,
laugh at the twisted
streets of the island,
laugh at this clumsy
boy who loves you,
but when I open
my eyes and close them,
when my steps go,
when my steps return,
deny me bread, air,
light, spring,
but never your laughter
for I would die.
Take bread away from me, if you wish,
take air away, but
do not take from me your laughter.
Do not take away the rose,
the lanceflower that you pluck,
the water that suddenly
bursts forth in your joy,
the sudden wave
of silver born in you.
My struggle is harsh and I come back
with eyes tired
at times from having seen
the unchanging earth,
but when your laughter enters
it rises to the sky seeking me
and it opens for me all
the doors of life.
My love, in the darkest
hour your laughter
opens, and if suddenly
you see my blood staining
the stones of the street,
laugh, because your laughter
will be for my hands
like a fresh sword.
Next to the sea in the autumn,
your laughter must raise
its foamy cascade,
and in the spring, love,
I want your laughter like
the flower I was waiting for,
the blue flower, the rose
of my echoing country.
Laugh at the night,
at the day, at the moon,
laugh at the twisted
streets of the island,
laugh at this clumsy
boy who loves you,
but when I open
my eyes and close them,
when my steps go,
when my steps return,
deny me bread, air,
light, spring,
but never your laughter
for I would die.
emotional
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
slow-paced