About Pablo Neruda and His Poetry

Pablo Neruda belonged to a group of Spanish poets, called the

Generation of 1927. Some Spanish critics have found it hard
to believe that Neruda became a much greater poet than
Vallejo who deserved recognition more. Other critics think
that Neruda lacked the ability to be critical and discerning
although he was sometimes quite perceptive about his country
and its poets. Yet others have found him generous but derided
him for his loyalty to Communism. But he remains an all-time
favourite of his readers.

Pablo Neruda published some of his early poems in the 1920s

in the student magazine Claridad at the Santiago University.
However, it was Twenty Love Poems and a Song of Despair
that made him the much-quoted Latin American poet. His
popularity far surpassed any of his contemporaries in his own
or even in other countries. Neruda’s poetry has been translated
into several languages, and in India alone he has been
translated into Hindi, Bangla, Urdu and other  regional
languages.

Analysis
The title of the poem makes the message straightforward.
Where one lover worries about the long absence of his or her
lover. It may not be appropriate to specify a setting for the
poem but the subject in discussion deals with emotional
condition tabled in front of the readers in the form of love
letter. The tone is very sweet, wooing, and assuring.
The first stanza shows that the poet began to feel the absence
of his lover immediately he departed which made him feel:
"trembling,
Or uneasy, wounded by me
Or overwhelmed with love, as
when your eyes
Close upon the gift of life"

The stanza two described their love affair in form of

reminiscences:
"My love,
We have found each other
Thirsty and we have
Drunk up all the water and the
Blood,
We found each other
Hungry
And we bit each other
As fire bites,
Leaving wounds in us."

The third and the final stanza of the poem is where Pablo
Neruda urged his lover to kindly wait for him as he promised
to return to her with the gift she cherished the most "A rose".

Few of the easily noticed poetic devices in the poem are

simile "As fire bites", metaphor "the gift of life", anaphora
"Or trembling" "Or uneasy" "Or overwhelmed with love",
repetition of words and phrases.
"When you go in me" can be interpreted as "when the feelings
of love I have inside my heart".

"Leaving wounds in us" can be interpreted as "making us

inseparable".