I extremely love this poem; it is magnificently and affectionately written and it always rouses my feelings and makes me feel contented. One thing I love about this poem is that Neruda’s work was an inspiration from his wife and so he did not write this poem for the sake of writing; he wrote what he felt for his loved one. This poem has a special meaning for me because I feel love should not be superficial; I believe in loving someone for who they are. It’s odd though how the poet starts by saying why he doesn’t love her but as one continues reading, everything adds up. He declares that he does not love her as though she was a “salt rose” but he loves her like she was a flower that does not flourish. This means that his love is not superficial and that he loves her for who she is. The poet describes a love that goes beyond what can be seen or admired.
I feel a connection when am reading this poem because Neruda’s sentiments bond with mine. People do not love flowers which do not blossom because they do not see the beauty in them. Neruda does not mean that his loved one is not beautiful; but he loves her inner beauty and her outside looks do not matter a lot. His love for her goes beyond her outer looks. His words are figurative thus making the poem special. In the last paragraphs, Neruda writes that his loves for her is indescribable and that he loves her without pride or problems; this is the kind of love that comes naturally. He continues to say that he loves her like that because he does not know any other way to love (Longo 92). Their love is intimately entwined and it seems as if they share one body, “so close that her hand upon his chest is his and so close that her eyes closes with his dreams.”
I feel a great connection to the poem because Neruda tries to say that the greatest kind of love is love that is beyond description (Wilson 207).This poem is special to me because I believe that the best love that one can have is simply the love that comes naturally without pride or problems. Love goes beyond words and in the poem Neruda is trying to describe this kind of love. I can easily relate with his poetic words and particularly when he says “I love you without knowing how, or when, or from where.” It is incredible how he describes his love for her; his words are sensational and beautifully twisted (Neruda 143). He makes true love seem so beautiful, effortless and graceful.
Also, the poem has a special meaning for me because it describes love so beautifully and with a unique twist. Neruda believes that loving someone should not be perverted and that love should come naturally with great ease. I feel fuzzy and affectionate whenever I read the poem especially when am reading the last two paragraphs. One can unmistakably tell that his love for his spouse was profound and pure and was not phony or superficial; it was greater than appearance. I always feel a great connection to this poem because its meaning is unusual and it makes love so special. It depicts love so beautifully and creates strong emotions that always stir-up my spirit.
Works Cited
Longo, Teresa. Pablo Neruda and the U.S. culture industry, USA: Routledge, 2002. Print.
Neruda, Pablo. The essential Neruda: selected poems, New York: City Lights Books, 2004. Print.
Wilson, Jason. A companion to Pablo Neruda: evaluating Neruda’s poetry, Chicago: Tamesis Books, 2008.Print.