Poem of the Day - Pablo Neruda Sonnets XVII-LXVI

Pablo Neruda was a Chilean poet who's writings span from the 1920's to the 1970's. I have loved Pablo Neruda's work since I was about 15 years old. The sonnets below are by far my favorites and two of his most famous. To me this sonnet has always embodied the true meaning and feeling of a passionate love. A lost love. A love consumed by another's existence that it cannot find its way back but has found its home.

Pablo Neruda conveys such intensity in his work as if he is calling out to others to say, you are not alone, the feelings that overcome you overcome me as well. Reading his work made me feel accepted by my compulsive nature which leads me to never be satisfied. From his writing I have learned that this compulsive nature is my thirst for life and all that this life has to offer me while I live it. While others may judge my consistent inconsistencies in a negative light, I embrace them as this makes me want and without wanting I am nothing.

XVII

I do not love you as if you were a salt rose, or topaz

or the arrow of carnations the fire shoots off.
I love you as certain dark things are to be loved,
in secret, between the shadow and the soul.

I love you as the plant that never blooms
but carries in itself the light of hidden flowers;
thanks to your love a certain solid fragrance,
risen from the earth, lives darkly in my body.

I love you without knowing how, or when, or from where.
I love you straightforwardly, without complexities or pride;
So I love you because I know no other way

than this: where I does not exist, nor you,
so close that your hand on my chest is my hand,
so close that your eyes close as I fall asleep. 

LXVI

I do not love you except because I love you;

I go from loving to not loving you,
From waiting to not waiting for you
My heart moves from cold to fire.

I love you only because it's you the one I love;
I hate you deeply, and hating you
Bend to you, and the measure of my changing love for you
Is that I do not see you but love you blindly.

Maybe January light will consume
My heart with its cruel
Ray, stealing my key to true calm.

In this part of the story I am the one who
Dies, the only one, and I will die of love because I love you,
Because I love you, Love, in fire and blood.