Pablo Neruda

One of my favorite poets is Pablo Neruda (July 12, 1904 – September 23, 1973) . I first found interest in his works when we studied magical realism in a college literature subject. Ninotchka Rosca used the same technique in her novel State of War.

Nowadays, his works can be found everywhere. Together with other Hispanic authors, his works may be read on the trains of the LRT. Sponsored by the Instituto Cervates, a Spanish language school, Spanish poems translated into Tagalog are posted inside the trains and become a worthwhile read for the passenger. The aim of the project is to remind our youth of our Spanish heritage, while inviting commuters to learn the Castillian language at their center.

I am posting here one of my favorite Neruda love poems. I hope you enjoy it just as I did.


I Do Not Love You Except Because I Love You

I do not love you except because I love you;
I go from loving to not loving you,
From waiting to not waiting for you
My heart moves from cold to fire.

I love you only because it's you the one I love;
I hate you deeply, and hating you
Bend to you, and the measure of my changing love for you
Is that I do not see you but love you blindly.

Maybe January light will consume
My heart with its cruel
Ray, stealing my key to true calm.

In this part of the story I am the one who
Dies, the only one, and I will die of love because I love you,
Because I love you, Love, in fire and blood.