maybe some day we'll make it right

[in_the_blue]

Here, have a poem. If You Forget Me, by Pablo Neruda.






I want you to know
one thing.

You know how this is:
if I look
at the crystal moon, at the red branch
of the slow autumn at my window,
if I touch
near the fire
the impalpable ash
or the wrinkled body of the log,
everything carries me to you,
as if everything that exists,
aromas, light, metals,
were little boats
that sail
toward those isles of yours that wait for me.

Well, now,
if little by little you stop loving me
I shall stop loving you little by little.

If suddenly
you forget me
do not look for me,
for I shall already have forgotten you.

If you think it long and mad,
the wind of banners
that passes through my life,
and you decide
to leave me at the shore
of the heart where I have roots,
remember
that on that day,
at that hour,
I shall lift my arms
and my roots will set off
to seek another land.

But
if each day,
each hour,
you feel that you are destined for me
with implacable sweetness,
if each day a flower
climbs up to your lips to seek me,
ah my love, ah my own,
in me all that fire is repeated,
in me nothing is extinguished or forgotten,
my love feeds on your love, beloved,
and as long as you live it will be in your arms
without leaving mine

Comments

[neko142001.livejournal.com]

Here...have me grinning at the poem.

[in-the-blue.livejournal.com]

Honestly, he's one of my favorite poets. I wish I could write with that much fire and passion.

[neko142001.livejournal.com]

I miss writing poems. I haven't written one in forever.

[in-the-blue.livejournal.com]

Been a little busy?

[neko142001.livejournal.com]

No inspiration for poetry.

[in-the-blue.livejournal.com]

Maybe it'll come back.

[neko142001.livejournal.com]

That would be nice. Until then, RP and random whatever-comes-to-mind stuff!

[in-the-blue.livejournal.com]

I'm all for this plan.

[neko142001.livejournal.com]

It works out nicely.

[in-the-blue.livejournal.com]

Mutually beneficial, even!

[neko142001.livejournal.com]

No arguments from me~

[prplhez8.livejournal.com]

That is really...lovely.

*sigh*

[in-the-blue.livejournal.com]

Been a while since I did poetry spam. I figured it was time.

[awelkin.livejournal.com]

Awesome experience, reading this poem. Thanks.

Catherine

[in-the-blue.livejournal.com]

I'm glad you enjoyed it. I think he's so passionate.

[erised1810.livejournal.com]

i think...that was right what i needed about now. notthat i was thinkign in advance' humm..i'd liek to read a neruda poem' but still, somehow it just worked. thanks.
and isn't it amazign how it seemsso eas yto find the righttone of voice and the right pace to read it in.

[in-the-blue.livejournal.com]

On days when my Spanish is still good enough, I read his stuff in the original language. It's painfully beautiful that way too. That it translates so well is a tribute to the way he chose his words.

[erised1810.livejournal.com]

i'dthin kthat too. i'm notthe one to notice if we'd be missign somethign in the translation sincei harldy know any spanish. although it did make me wonder and sort of shudder atthe thoght of this beign translated i ndutch. for some reason that language doens't seem to suit this poetry.

[kit-the-brave.livejournal.com]

I love Pablo Neruda. Stephanie Pearl-McPhee over at Yarn Harlot knit a pair of socks with his "Ode to my Socks" knitted into them, which is just awesome, and you know he would have loved.

[in-the-blue.livejournal.com]

Heh, that's fantastic.

Have you read any Octavio Paz? He's another favorite poet of mine.

Between Going and Staying the Day Wavers

Between going and staying the day wavers,
in love with its own transparency.
The circular afternoon is now a bay
where the world in stillness rocks.

All is visible and all elusive,
all is near and can't be touched.

Paper, book, pencil, glass,
rest in the shade of their names.

Time throbbing in my temples repeats
the same unchanging syllable of blood.

The light turns the indifferent wall
into a ghostly theater of reflections.

I find myself in the middle of an eye,
watching myself in its blank stare.

The moment scatters. Motionless,
I stay and go: I am a pause.

[kit-the-brave.livejournal.com]

That's beautiful! And it must be a great translator, too. I'm in awe of people who can translate poetry well.

Thanks for sharing the poems! I will have a peaceful night after reading that one, if the cats ever calm down. :)

[saintly-heretic.livejournal.com]

neruda's work is absolutely beautiful. Ode and Burgenings is so wonderful it's like... edible. It comes to life with a reading, and that is really something to be said not only for a poem, but a translation.

[in-the-blue.livejournal.com]

Needless to say, I adore his work. Sometimes some of the very long works lose me, but in general I find him to be almost painfully poignant. He's led me to a lot of other poets I wouldn't normally have read had I not fallen in love with all his words.

And out of curiosity, did you find me through zahdi? Or was it more random?

[saintly-heretic.livejournal.com]

yeah, through zahdi. i've been looking in the wrong places for lj friends/discussions lately. zahdi seems sane, and rational arguments between zahdi and zadhi's flist stay as such, instead of turning into craziness and insultery. i had to do hella pruning to my old flist as people were taking lj much much much too seriously. anyway.. nice poem.
:)

[in-the-blue.livejournal.com]

Feel free to stop by any time. Like interests don't always lead to lasting LJ relationships, but like you said... Anyway.

Zahdi's great. I've known her for a long time.