Actually I didn't read about 50 pages, since they were bizarrely missing from my copy due to a binding error!

I bought this in Paris in 2015. There's less love poetry in it than I was led to believe, but I'd wager the collection a decent representative of his work, covering a variety of subjects. I appreciated how it had the original poem on the left and the translation on the right. I wish there were annotations, as I could tell there was context I was missing. Highlighted phrases and stanzas throughout and dogeared about half a dozen poems for me to return to.

I had forgotten how much I loved Neruda and it was so refreshing to read more of his poetry that are not love poems, though I love them as well.

And I think I need to read more of his poetry that is focused on war, Latin America, etc. because to a degree they are all about love just not all about women.

Beautiful poems…
Neruda had the
essence of poetry in him.
He was a real poet in every way..

There are hardly any words adequate for describing the poetry of Neruda. This along with 20 songs of desperation is my favourite and is absolutely beautiful. Whether it is about Macchu Pichu or soldiers or about love, his mastery of language and the music of words is mesmerising.

The petals of the ocean contend with a planet's pulsation.
The underseas granaries tremble.
A gloss on the sea-lettuce poises its menace,
a swimming and swarming of schools;
the mesh of the net-cord, ascending,
draws up only a fish scale's extinction of lightning
one wounded gradation of distance
in the crystal's accomplished perfection

This collection was carefully and wonderfully translated by Ben Belitt and includes the original Spanish on the left pages for comparison.

3.5

Es un libro que siempre leo, generalmente algunos poemas sueltos pero este año lo relei entero por reencontrarme con Neruda y con mi adolescencia

bit too much about boobies

Ok, so Neruda is my favorite of all favorite poets because of his passion and surprising choice of topics and imagery and metaphor and the fact that he's a man of the people, a man with political sensitivities, an activist. When he is angry, the anger is real. When he is hungry, he will steal from your plate.

This particular collection of his poems are key to the Pineapple Hill library because not only does it gather many of his best, it present them in their native Spanish along with translation into English deemed credible and authentic to the work. You can work on your second language skills.

Horseman in Rain...Open Sea...A Smell of Cordwood...are here. As is one called The United Fruit Company, which I frequently rail against in my novel Blue Rubber Pool. There are these and many more: A Few Things Explained, Not Feathered With Iron, Boy With a Hare and Hunger in the South, and many others, waiting, waiting for you. So go to them. Seek out the ones that tell your story, the truth you didn't realize Neruda would know. When you do, the poems become yours.

You will not find, however, Because Love Battles, best love poem of all time. Nor does this include The Morning Is Full, the Neruda poem I challenge the world to read aloud to itself like I did that time sipping Pino Noir in the second floor hammock—it's on YouTube somewhere—and that Andy Garcia the actor did that time because he wanted it done and done right.

When you go to the boat, bring your hammock, the Pawley's Island kind, to string up between mast and forestay while you're anchored on a summer night. Bring wine. Bring your voice, the one you sing with in the shower. And try these poems, these words.

Nice selection of poems but too scattered in topic to really allow a mood to settle. Good starting place to figure out which of Neruda's books to read next

My first copy of this book has now officially fallen apart. I can't count the number of times I've read it, but its current (pathetic) condition gives me some idea. Here's a gem you might overlook, because it doesn't fit into any of the usual categories: "Walking Around." Try reading it out loud--it's even more powerful that way. Either way, it's pure genius. And I'm embarrassed to admit I know nearly all of the love poems by heart, at least in English. Might learn Spanish just to be able to read Neruda in his native language, but these translations are sublime.

PABLO NERUDA IS AMAZING HE IS MY FAVOURITE POET EVER