Paul, Paulo, Pablo
I woke up today reciting a line from Pablo Neruda's Cien Sonetos de Amor,
"Te amo como se aman ciertas cosa oscuras,
secretamente, entre la sombra y el alma."
Translated in English that means,
"I love you as certain dark things are to be loved,
in secret, between the shadow and the soul."
Now, I don't know what that was doing in my head. It's not like I'm in love or inspired, or the least interested in anyone at this time. (Not unless we count my perennial make-believe boyfriend Ben Affleck. Yes. That Ben Affleck. So I like tall, smart men, sue me!) I just woke up and found myself reciting that line. How strange is that?!
Truth is, I don't really mind if I wake every day greeting the morning sunshine with random verses from the Chileans's poems. He is, after all, one of if not the greatest 20th century poet.
Mr. Neruda's poems are boundless.
They're like those one-size-fits-all t-sirts.
The messages conveyed are general rules of love, and life. Age doesn't matter, neither does color or race or family background. Neruda's haunting proses trancsend everything because they express the universal emotions of people towards living, loving and losing, and everything in between.
I admire his works and I remember how as a young student I had the shameless dream of meeting him someday and being his protege. Of course I eventually found out after a trip to the library that he was, in fact, long gone. I also found out about the others aspects of his life, particularly his politics and principles which I didn't find agreeable. In the end, I remained a fan of Neruda, the poet, though not so much Neruda, the man.
I may not share his ideas towards capitalism or liberty, but I share his love for life and for love itself.
"Te amo sin saber cómo, ni cuándo, ni de dónde,
te amo directamente sin problemas ni orgullo:
así te amo porque no sé amar de otra manera;"
I love you without knowing how, when, or where from;
I love you straightforwardly, with neither problems nor pride:
I love you thus, not knowing how to love you otherwise;`
(to be continued)
next Paul, Paulo, Pablo II
********
0 comments:
Post a Comment