The person we're going to talk about today isn't here anymore to do an interview; that's why I decided to use the 3 Questions of the week to tell you about the masterpiece of an incredible man: Pablo Neruda.
Q : Who is Pablo Neruda?
C : Pablo Neruda is a Chilian poet, diplomat and international political figure, considered as one of the best poets of his generation.
Pablo Neruda's real name is Ricardo Eliécer Neftalí Reyes Basoalto, and he was born on the 12 of July 1904. He loved litterature, and started writing at a very young age; in 1917, he published his first article in a local journal, which was then followed by numerous poems.
He studied French and French Litterature in Santiago, in order to become a French teacher; in the meantime, he started to get recognition for his work in the poetry. At 19, he published his first book "Crépusculario”. The next year, he published the very well-known "20 poems of love and a desperate song’’.
Great political figure in many republican movements, he won the Staline Price for Peace, the International Price for Peace, and the Nobel Price of Litterature.
He died on the 25 of Septembre 1973 after a cancer.
Q : What is his most famous work?
C : It's hard to say. Maybe the Canto General, or the "20 poemas de amor y una cansion desesperada."
But everybody agree that all of his poems, in all their depth and beauty, are a treasure that we absolutely have to keep and protect.
But everybody agree that all of his poems, in all their depth and beauty, are a treasure that we absolutely have to keep and protect.
Here is a translated extract of the Poem 5, the first Neruda's poem I ever read:
So that you will hear me
my words sometimes grow thin
as the tracks of the gulls on the beaches.
(...)
And I watch my words from a long way off.
They are more yours than mine.
They climb on my old suffering like ivy.
It climbs the same way on damp walls.
You are to blame for this cruel sport.
They are fleeing from my dark lair.
You fill everything, you fill everything.
Before you they peopled the solitude that you occupy,
and they are more used to my sadness than you are.
Now I want them to say what I want to say to you
to make you hear as I want you to hear me.
Pablo Neruda, Poema 5,
"20 poemas de amor y una cansion desesperada"
Q : What else do we have from him appart from his poems today?
C : His houses! If Pablo Neruda was an extremely talented poet, he also was a fantastic architect. His three houses, La Chascona (in Santiago), La Sebastiana (in Valparaiso) and Isla Negra are amazing creations full of inventivity, which the author loved to fill with any object he liked, transforming them in real museums.
I had the chance to visit the 3 houses last year, and if you have the opportunity to go, I can tell you it's worth it. You won't be disappointed!
In order to know more about this great poet, you can go on the website f the Pablo Neruda Fundation.
C
No comments:
Post a Comment