Saturday, December 17, 2016

Advent Calendar - Day 17

Today's offering is a poem by one of my very favorite poets, Pablo Neruda. The poem is called "If You Forget Me," and it's scorchingly beautiful.

Our giveaway is a paperback copy of Love Poems by Pablo Neruda Donald D. Walsh . I'll choose one random commenter from the section below.














If You Forget Me

Pablo Neruda

I want you to know
one thing. 

You know how this is: 
if I look 
at the crystal moon, at the red branch 
of the slow autumn at my window, 
if I touch 
near the fire 
the impalpable ash 
or the wrinkled body of the log, 
everything carries me to you, 
as if everything that exists, 
aromas, light, metals, 
were little boats 
that sail 
toward those isles of yours that wait for me. 

Well, now, 
if little by little you stop loving me 
I shall stop loving you little by little. 

If suddenly 
you forget me 
do not look for me, 
for I shall already have forgotten you. 

If you think it long and mad, 
the wind of banners 
that passes through my life, 
and you decide 
to leave me at the shore 
of the heart where I have roots, 
remember 
that on that day, 
at that hour, 
I shall lift my arms 
and my roots will set off 
to seek another land. 

But 
if each day, 
each hour, 
you feel that you are destined for me 
with implacable sweetness, 
if each day a flower 
climbs up to your lips to seek me, 
ah my love, ah my own, 
in me all that fire is repeated, 
in me nothing is extinguished or forgotten, 
my love feeds on your love, beloved, 
and as long as you live it will be in your arms 
without leaving mine. 

21 comments:

  1. "But
    if each day,
    each hour,
    you feel that you are destined for me..."

    I'm rereading the Adrien English series with your lovely GR gang and I've just started The Dark Tide. When reading the beautiful last verse of this poem I can't help thinking of Adrien and Jake. :-)

    Thank you for starting my Saturday morning with a poem, Josh. That is a neat gift.

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    1. Yes! So much of what I'm reading reminds me of Jake and Adrien right now.

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  2. Forget me not is all I ask,
    but if remembrance prove a task,
    forget me.

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  3. That is a beautiful poem. Thanks so much for sharing!

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  4. Love it! I have never read Neruda translated to English. It's quite interesting. Thank you for sharing!

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    1. Is it very different? I was wondering about that last night.

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    2. Well it's really well translated but the sound is really different. It difficult to explain, it would be easier if I could read it to you. Spanish and English have really different rhytm when read, and that make the poem sound really different in English.

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    3. I understand what you mean. That's very interesting. Yes, hearing it aloud would be so interesting.

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    4. I found the poem read in YouTube. Here is the link, in case you want to take a look at it:
      https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=BMP4Cb5l_eI

      In my head some parts sound a bit more intense, but I think he does make a really good job reading it :-)

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  5. Poems are special, they can elate me or they can crush me. This one is bittersweet, but so very beautiful! Thank you ♡

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  6. So moving. I read a few of his poems years ago and remember the loveliness. Thank you, Josh, for the memory.

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    1. I'm glad to reintroduce you to Neruda, Susan. There's something about his work I find so moving.

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  7. That hit rather close this morning, sitting alone as the snow falls. Lovely.

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    Replies
    1. Quiet thoughts for quiet moments. Thank you for reading, Jessica.

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  8. This is a lovely poem. I don't think I've ever read anything by Pablo Neruda before. Thanks so much for sharing this. :)

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  9. I love Pablo Neruda. He's one of my favourite poets (I'm Spanish, so we studied him at school). Thank you, Josh

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  10. I'm not into poetry. Except one, Neruda. I got to
    know his work in high-school. Mandatory curriculum. And I fell in love with his work. I tried other poets, but never got to like poetry. Well, except Neruda. Thank you posting it !

    goge

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  11. This is something to read and re-read, seeing more of its beauty with each reading. Thanks for sharing.

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