Tonight I can write the saddest lines… by Pablo Neruda (Summary)

Tonight I can write the saddest lines…

Pablo Neruda

Summary

Pablo Neruda is a much acclaimed author in Chile. First of all the poem was first written in 1924 in Spanish language and after that it was translated into English in 1989, 65 years later after its first composition. This poem is celebrated for its stark imagery and symbols to represent the pain of imprisoned lovers. It is a memory of a lost love and the cause of the pain that can happen. Throughout the poem the speaker is reminiscent of the details of his love which is now broken. He constantly juxtaposes the past with his Ladylove with his loneliness in the present. It was written in a style of isolation with a repetition of the line "I can write the saddest line tonight" three times to emphasize his grief.

The first line of the poem has aroused the curiosity of the readers to know the cause of the poet's sorrow. Images like isolated nights and blue stars trembling in the distance indicate his painful mood. He decides to write a poem at night that brings a dark image and a bad mood to him. Isolated nights and trembling stars represent the turmoil of the poet's life experience. The night air becomes his companion as the sky revolves and sings. Moreover the night enabled him to write what he could not write until then. He admits that he loved her and that the unnamed woman also loved him for some time. His memory took him back to a similar night when he held her in his arms. She admits that she was deeply in love with him and says that her great fixed eyes will make anyone fall in love with her.

The writer thinks he can write the saddest line of the night because he knows he’s not with her now. The night without him seems lonely. But his writing fills his soul like dewdrops on a pasture. He feels annoyed that in spite of everything, his love cannot stay with him and without him his soul is lost. The night was traumatic for not being with him. He hears someone singing from a distance, which indicates that he is alone because he hears it from a distance. Now he mentions his desire to be reunited with his Ladylove; His eyes search for her, he wants to go to her and his heart also seeks her. Again he mentioned that the night was just like any other night when it was elsewhere. Suddenly he announces that he doesn’t love her but he loved her long ago. He even tried to send air to touch his hearing. But he is now another and to express the pain of his loss the poet says that his voice, body and infinite eyes will belong to the other. Again he declared that he no longer loved her but disputed himself by mentioning that he could love her. His words, love small but long forgotten, express his love for her. The night leaves him with memories of his Ladylove and his loss disrupts his soul. He ends this poem with the determination that he is the last pain he has given and this is the last poem he has written on his behalf. He is hopeful that with this painful attempt at writing he has the desire to come out of his memory.

*****

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