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A beautiful book by my favorite poet that was a gift from my closest friends. A treasure that sits proudly on my bookshelves.
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On the Blue Shore of Silence: Poems of the Sea
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"On the Blue Shore of Silence" celebrates the centenary of the birth of Pablo Neruda, one of the most widely read and best-loved poets of the 20th century. Although anthologies of Neruda's works abound, this is the first to collect some of his poems on the sea.
80 pages, Hardcover
First published January 31,2004
This edition
- Format
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80 pages, Hardcover
- Published
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February 3, 2004 by Rayo
- ISBN
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9780060591847
- ASIN
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0060591846
- Language
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English
About the author
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Pablo Neruda, born Ricardo Eliécer Neftalí Reyes Basoalto in 1904 in Parral, Chile, was a poet, diplomat, and politician, widely considered one of the most influential literary figures of the 20th century. From an early age, he showed a deep passion for poetry, publishing his first works as a teenager. He adopted the pen name Pablo Neruda to avoid disapproval from his father, who discouraged his literary ambitions. His breakthrough came with Veinte poemas de amor y una canción desesperada (Twenty Love Poems and a Song of Despair, 1924), a collection of deeply emotional and sensual poetry that gained international recognition and remains one of his most celebrated works.
Neruda's career took him beyond literature into diplomacy, a path that allowed him to travel extensively and engage with political movements around the world. Beginning in 1927, he served in various consular posts in Asia and later in Spain, where he witnessed the Spanish Civil War and became an outspoken advocate for the Republican cause. His experiences led him to embrace communism, a commitment that would shape much of his later poetry and political activism. His collection España en el corazón (Spain in Our Hearts, 1937) reflected his deep sorrow over the war and marked a shift toward politically engaged writing.
Returning to Chile, he was elected to the Senate in 1945 as a member of the Communist Party. However, his vocal opposition to the repressive policies of President Gabriel Gonzalez Videla led to his exile. During this period, he traveled through various countries, including Argentina, Mexico, and the Soviet Union, further cementing his status as a global literary and political figure. It was during these years that he wrote Canto General (1950), an epic work chronicling Latin American history and the struggles of its people.
Neruda's return to Chile in 1952 marked a new phase in his life, balancing political activity with a prolific literary output. He remained a staunch supporter of socialist ideals and later developed a close relationship with Salvador Allende, who appointed him as Chile's ambassador to France in 1970. The following year, he was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature, recognized for the scope and impact of his poetry. His later years were marked by illness, and he died in 1973, just days after the military coup that overthrew Allende. His legacy endures, not only in his vast body of work but also in his influence on literature, political thought, and the cultural identity of Latin America.
Neruda's career took him beyond literature into diplomacy, a path that allowed him to travel extensively and engage with political movements around the world. Beginning in 1927, he served in various consular posts in Asia and later in Spain, where he witnessed the Spanish Civil War and became an outspoken advocate for the Republican cause. His experiences led him to embrace communism, a commitment that would shape much of his later poetry and political activism. His collection España en el corazón (Spain in Our Hearts, 1937) reflected his deep sorrow over the war and marked a shift toward politically engaged writing.
Returning to Chile, he was elected to the Senate in 1945 as a member of the Communist Party. However, his vocal opposition to the repressive policies of President Gabriel Gonzalez Videla led to his exile. During this period, he traveled through various countries, including Argentina, Mexico, and the Soviet Union, further cementing his status as a global literary and political figure. It was during these years that he wrote Canto General (1950), an epic work chronicling Latin American history and the struggles of its people.
Neruda's return to Chile in 1952 marked a new phase in his life, balancing political activity with a prolific literary output. He remained a staunch supporter of socialist ideals and later developed a close relationship with Salvador Allende, who appointed him as Chile's ambassador to France in 1970. The following year, he was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature, recognized for the scope and impact of his poetry. His later years were marked by illness, and he died in 1973, just days after the military coup that overthrew Allende. His legacy endures, not only in his vast body of work but also in his influence on literature, political thought, and the cultural identity of Latin America.
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I just found this book, of all things, half-priced at a Borders going out of business. What a glorious discovery! All sea-related poems in English and Spanish with accompanying artwork. A wonderful book that I'll read over and over again.
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A window into Neruda's Chilean soul, trapped between the Andes and the Pacific, one that craves constant movement, and yet yearns for a home. Beautiful and invigorating.
My favorite poem is Fiesta's End Stanza XII.
My favorite poem is Fiesta's End Stanza XII.
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As the subtitle says, this is a collection of Pablo Neruda's poems about the sea that was put together to celebrate his centenary. I picked it up to fulfill Book Riot's 2017 Read Harder Challenge category, "Read a collection of poetry in translation on a theme other than love." I'm really glad I did. True to the challenge's goal, it got me to read something I would not have otherwise and it expanded my horizons. I'm not usually one for poetry, but the poems are beautiful and show how much the sea near Neruda's home in Isla Negra meant to him. It reminded me why I love being near bodies of water as well. I find it really nice that each poem has the original Spanish next to its English translation and each one is also accompanied by a work of art. This really helped enhance the reading experience. I liked seeing Neruda's original words and the art made them come alive. All things considered, this is a very nice collection of poetry that is both beautiful to read and look at.
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A short collection but beautiful book with perfect translations.
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beautiful book
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Breathtaking. I'd never read Neruda's work before, but someone suggested it to me, said that there were layers to it that they believed I would admire, verses from it that reminded them of my writing, and that they believed I would fall in love. And dear Lord, I may have done so.
There's always something I've admired about translations, especially those from the Latin American languages. There's a swirling flow to them, a diction that moves smoothly and rests in your mind, that sounds beautiful read silently or aloud. And many of my favorite collections end up being those which are/were translated into English at some point.
That said, this collection specifically holds a special place in my heart. As my friend suggested, there were many beautiful lines and memorable images. But this collection landed gently and tenderly in my heart and reminded me of home. I could read these poems and remember the sensation of sand between my toes, the smell of an ocean breeze, the way the salt stung my eyes, and the feeling of unending peace. There was something here in Neruda's writing, that not only brought the emotion and soul of his poems to life, but also his setting--a fact that, to me, is deeply admirable.
There's always something I've admired about translations, especially those from the Latin American languages. There's a swirling flow to them, a diction that moves smoothly and rests in your mind, that sounds beautiful read silently or aloud. And many of my favorite collections end up being those which are/were translated into English at some point.
That said, this collection specifically holds a special place in my heart. As my friend suggested, there were many beautiful lines and memorable images. But this collection landed gently and tenderly in my heart and reminded me of home. I could read these poems and remember the sensation of sand between my toes, the smell of an ocean breeze, the way the salt stung my eyes, and the feeling of unending peace. There was something here in Neruda's writing, that not only brought the emotion and soul of his poems to life, but also his setting--a fact that, to me, is deeply admirable.
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Neruda is, perhaps, the greatest of all the 20th century poets, having won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1971 and the World Peace Prize in 1950. This small bilingual volume brings together poems whose focus is the ocean, but each one speaks of so much more. I feel so privileged to be able to read the poems in their original Spanish, but for someone who has not mastered that language, the translations of Alastair Reid are excellent, capturing the power and beauty of the images throughout. Neruda's descriptions are so real that one can smell the sea, hear the waves crashing on the beach, and sea the play of light across the water. Each poem is accompanied by an abstract water color by Mary Heebner, whose works reflect the mood of the verses perfectly.
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