What a treat to dive into these sublime odes by one of the world’s greatest poets.After almost 50 years, Pablo Neruda’s poetry still captivates through its energy, wit, and grand passion for the ordinary.  The poetry sparkles with a unique prism of naturalism through which elemental materials become fascinating jigsaws.
 
“And out of the two of you, conjoined,
your body, your beloved’s, may pairs of your children’s eyes appear
to tally yet again
ancient stars
and the innumerable
spikes of wheat
by which this transfigured earth
will once again be made complete.”
 
Always present is Neruda’s social concience: 
 
“my song unites them:
song of the invisible man
who sings with all mankind.”
 
Renown poet William Pitt Root crosses the Spanish-to-English linguistic divide with confidence. His English translations convey the meaning, flow and spirit of Neruda’s magnificent original verse. Fortunately, the edition is bilingual, so the original ode can be savored next to its wonderful counterpart.
 
The cover art is an added bonus—a photo of sea and landscape creates a feeling of serenity and vigor, appropriate for such a beautiful book.