Pablo Neruda. The Book of Questions. Trans. William O’Daly. 1974/1991

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Pablo Neruda. The Book of Questions. Trans. William O’Daly. 1974/1991

January 17, 2009 by aeetwatermark

The only true thoughts are those which
do not grasp their own meaning

the sons of the sons of the son—what will they make of the world? Will they turn out good or bad? Worth flies or worth wheat?

You don’t want to answer me. But the questions do not die.

If I have died and don’t know it of whom do I ask the time?

Why do leaves commit suicide when they feel yellow?

Is it true that in an anthill dreams are a duty?

Love, love, his and hers, if they’ve gone, where did they go?

How many weeks are in a day and how many years in a month?

When the convict ponders the light

is it the same light that shines on you?

Why don’t the poor understand as soon as they stop being poor?

Whom can I ask what I came to make happen in this world?

Was it where they lost me that I finally found myself?

Will our life be a tunnel between two vague clarities?

Do you believe that ahead of you grief carries the flag of your destiny?

Does he who is always waiting suffer more than he who’s never waited for anyone?

Where is the child I was, still inside me or gone?

Does he know that I never loved him and that he never loved me?

Why did we spend so much time growing up only to separate?

Why did we both not die when my childhood died?

What weighs more heavily on the belt, sadness or memories?

And what is the name of the month that falls between December and January?

And who went out to live for me when I was sleeping or sick?

Am I sometimes evil or am I always good?

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Posted in poetics and all that twirL your minD | 12 Comments

12 Responses

on January 28, 2009 at 8:01 am tudor

are you so in love with the ideas of Neruda?
nice info though.
on March 11, 2009 at 9:52 am E4ABB_79677

Love, love, his and hers, if they’ve gone, where did they go?
-this line is unpredictable. Sometimes when lovers broke up, there is no big reason, no clear vision or no definite direction. They forget everything. The moments that they share together through joy and sadness.
oh, reminds me of someone.
on March 11, 2009 at 6:11 pm shakespeareans08

sometimes confusion can really make a brilliant mind dumb…sometimes we think that we know about a lot of things but the truth is we got a lot to learn. Life is not just about what theories says, we have to feel life and live life to understand better what it meant..as they say experience is the best teacher. it may be difficult and painful at times but surviving from these makes us the person we are..
we don’t have to rush things up..as they say PATIENCE IS A VIRTUE..And with patience we see and understand things more clearly….i hope i do make sense..And don’t forget trust maybe a risky thing to give..but trust the peole who learned to trust you…these are some of the things i learn from the people i’ve been with….And these are some of the answers i got from the question i’ve been asking my life…
on March 12, 2009 at 12:18 am E4ABD_81016

The world is really complicated and sometimes you dont know what happens on tomorrow and on the next days.

The poem is very intresting.
on March 12, 2009 at 1:19 am E2KAB_83367

The b00k 0f questions are indeed thoughts to p0nder.It made me think about realizati0ns ,real life situations.Situations that any individual could or may have experienced, questions were base on facts and ideas of the writer which were very realistic. It may have been written years ago but amazingly still happens now and may happen still in the future.the questions made me truly admire, honor and respect the writer on his way of thinking which not every one is capable 0f,indeed…the bo0k 0f questions is life changing and inspiring which I recommend every one to read….

üüüüüüüüüü
on March 12, 2009 at 5:10 am lit5_20083814

this poem is a sad poem. I think this poem is made by a mother who lost her child.
on March 12, 2009 at 7:43 am E4abb_73746

yes, life isn’t fair. right? but there is not such word as permanent here. don’t expect that she’ll be there forever that’s why whenever you’re with her, don’t screw things up, instead, treasure the moment. Live life to it’s fullest. Make her feel that she’s special. do the right thing.
on March 12, 2009 at 7:54 am E4ABB_72689

I was reminded…

By this blog, it reminded me of a relationship of 3 years I was in. It’s my fault but I know everything has its purpose, maybe we are not really for each other. The article has a really sense of what is love really like. The author of this blog is trying to find out where love could go when a relationship has ended. How many times have we fallen for the wrong guy or girl – then blame something or someone, because the love is gone. Most of us are too scared to admit that what we felt was tainted love. This poem is a page in the lives of most people.
on March 12, 2009 at 10:26 am E4ABB_46265

is Neruda really really sad? bitter?or he was just so crazy in love?
on March 12, 2009 at 2:28 pm e2kab_20083659

….,the month between December and January should be recollection..jeje
on March 16, 2009 at 1:20 pm Dumawol, Loisam

In this world we live, their are so many questions that no one can answer. Even in science, scientist tried and trying there very best to seek answers to these unexplainable things and events happening in our world…but as we seek answer, it be as it is or as we discover the answer another question will follow up, isn’t it? Maybe someday and sometime, there will be someone who can answer all our endless doubts and questions in life.
on March 17, 2009 at 8:10 am arjay valdez de guzman

this is a good poem for emo’s. I think this guy who wrote this poem have plenty of problems. It’s good he can express his feelings in a poetic and interesting way.