“Walking around” is one of Pablo Neruda’s well known poem in Latin America written in 19... In this piece of literature Neruda approaches the matter of man vs. society. Throughout the poem he expresses anger and his displeased feelings towards the corruption that is occurring in modern day “It so happens that I am sick of my feet and my nails/ and my hair and my shadow/ It so happens I am sick of being a man.” In this stanza Pablo Neruda exemplifies how tired he is of the demoralization that is happening in the society, by using his own appearance as a metaphor to what he constantly sees in everyday life. In reality he’s not really sick of his feet, nails, hair, or shadow, he’s actually sick of observing the decisions that people have made and it’s outcome (impact). The fact that he’s not able to know if things will improve, torments the man walking around because all he sees is a world full of laziness and people seeking for the easy way in life “ The only thing I want is to lie still like stones or wool/ The only thing I want is to see no more stores, no gardens/ no more goods, no spectacles, no elevators.” As the reader continues to get deeper into the poem, modernization becomes what Neruda is trying to portray as the drastic impact of society. In the stanza provided above, he explains that things have gotten way easier to receive and to do, which has affected us in various ways. Before factories were built, or technology was invented, people actually had to grow their own food, use fire as their light and rely on it for heat. With the society being modernized, human beings have forgotten how to appreciate nature and the value of creating things for their own benefits. Not only have we been spoiled with the advanced technology that we have today, many have become adversed to labor expecting things to be already done by others.
“Walking around” focuses on the changes that many people do not see happening, which is the corruption of society. A countless amount of the population seem to be too busy or caught up in their own lives, simply not realizing what is surrounding them. In contrast Neruda stays in disgust while observing everything that seems to be affecting humanity unconsciously. He realizes that he is tired of seeing the repetition of deterioration to the value of nature, and gets tired of being a man stuck in the society that’s falling apart. “Walking Around” is an extraordinary poem because it touches important topics which only a few during that time period were aware of. What really caught my attention in this piece of literature are the examples of personification and vivid imagery that Neruda provides. They demonstrate how strong Pablo Neruda feels towards the matter that he conveys, which allows the reader to distinguish the tone of disgust and depression which the poet establishes.
Not only was Pablo Neruda known for his poems about important arguments, he was well known for his poetry of romance. While reading a couple of Pablo Neruda’s literacy, I came across some of his love poems, and was drawn to “Poem 20” also known as the “Saddest Poem.” Here he expresses his emotions for the love that no longer accompanies him, and feels lonely without that comfort. I enjoyed reading this poem because it‘s straightforward and relatable. He talks about the complication of love, and how its so hard to understand “I don’t love her, that’s certain, but perhaps I love her/ Love is brief: forgetting lasts so long.” The stanza provided is one of my favorite sections of the poem because it reveals so much just in those two lines and summarizes what the poet is trying to explain. Here he is facing complications with his true emotions. Neruda mentions that he is certain about not loving the woman, than switches to the possibility that he may still have feelings for her. This stanza shows how love can crucially play with a human beings mind, causing the poet to contradict his emotions “Though this is the last pain she will make me suffer/ And these are the last lines I will write for her.” Although he says he doesn’t love this woman, he truly feels pain, but proclaims that it’s the last pain she will ever make him go through. This poem is a symbolization of the poet moving on, him applying that those are the last lines that he will write for her signifies that she will not continue to be part of his thoughts. “Poem 20” sums up the consequences that many people go through for falling in love. It’s natural to go through heartaches, but it’s our decision to dwell in depression or move on, and that’s what Neruda indicates when he decides to continue forward in life. Pablo Neruda’s poems “Walking Around” and “ Poem 20” are my ultimate favorite, because they touch base on everyday life experiences. As a 20th century poet, Pablo Neruda was influence by the surrealism movement, explaining why vivid imagery is an important part of his writing. The imagery provided in his poetry is what caught my undivided attention, allowing me to visualize and have a clearer understanding of what Neruda tries to get across the reader. His style of writing is what influences me to continue reading poetry, and even write my own poetry.
Works Cited
Neruda, Pablo. “ From - Twenty Poems of Love” Poem Hunter. Poem Hunter, n.d Web. 20 September 2012.
---. “Walking Around” Poem Hunter. Poem Hunter, n.d. Web. 20 September 2012.
“Pablo Neruda Biography” Famous Poets and Poems. Famous Poets and Poems, 2010. Web. 26 September 2012.
“Pablo Neruda Biography Synopsis” Bio True Story. Biography.com, n.d. Web. 26 September 2012.
“Pablo Neruda” Poetry.org The Academy of American Poets, 2012. Web. 26 September 2012
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