Odes to Common Things: Neruda

Apr 18

Note: As usual, I’m playing catch-up today, so consider this the post from Friday.

Over the course of this month, I’ve tried to bring you a range of poets–those I like and have learned from–without too many restrictions or rules. But I have had couple guiding ideas, and one was to try to mention lesser-known poets. But today I bring you a poet it’s hard to imagine never having heard of: Pablo Neruda. At first, I resisted the idea; Neruda’s so well-known, and I didn’t know what I could add to what’s already been said. But then I remembered this isn’t about me. It’s about great and beautiful poetry, pure and simple, and I couldn’t think of a better way to close out the week on Spanish-speaking poets.

Pablo Neruda (Chile)

I recently picked up Neruda’s Odes to Common Things. It’s a gorgeous book with a simple design and pencil illustrations by Ferris Cook. I connected to it instantly because it shares one of the themes of my MFA thesis: the idea that the everyday things contain a wonderful beauty and can inspire awe just as easily as the most exotic of items or experiences. So I’m going to share some lines with you from “Odes to Things”:

Amo
todas
las cosas,
no porque sean
ardientes
o fragantes,
sino porque
no sé,
porque
este océano es el tuyo,
es el mío:
los botones,
las ruedas,
los pequeños
tesoros
olvidados,
los abanicos en
cuyos plumajes
desvaneció el amor
sus azahares,
las copas, los cuchillos,
las tijeras,
todo tiene
en el mango, en el contorno,
la huella
de unos dedos,
de una remota mano
perdida
en lo más olvidado del olvido.

I love
all
things,
not because they are
passionate
or sweet-smelling
but because,
I don’t know,
because
this ocean is yours,
and mine:
these buttons
and wheels
and little
forgotten
treasures,
fans upon
whose feathers
love has scattered
its blossoms,
glasses, knives and
scissors–
all bear
the trace
of someone’s fingers
on their handle or surface
the trace of a distant hand
lost
in the depths of forgetfulness

You can learn more about Neruda and read some of his poems here .

I’m also very excited to announce that the last week of this month I’ll be featuring a fantastic line-up of guest bloggers who will share their favorite poems/poets with you. The blogs have started to roll in and I can’t wait to share them with you!

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