Five Decades: Poems 1925-1970 (Neruda, Pablo) [Paperback]

Pablo Neruda (Author), Ben Belitt (Translator)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 12, 1994 | Series: Neruda, Pablo

This bilingual volume is the definitive collection of the poetry of Pablo Neruda, the 1971 Nobel Prize winner and one of the most profoundly influential poets of the twentieth century. His love poems are earthy and transcendent, and his political poems are the work of a man as incisive, impassioned, and ferociously intelligent as he was sensual. Ben Belitt has drawn the 138 selections in Five Decades from all of Neruda's major works, including the early volumes Residence on Earth, General Song, Elemental Odes, Voyages and Homecomings, Book of Vagaries, A Hundred Love Sonnets, Black Island Memorial, and the later The Hands of Day, World's End, and Skystones.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Air In The Stone [al Aire En La Piedra]
Ars Poetica: 1 [artes Poeticas]
Artichoke [oda A La Alcachofa]
Ballad [balada]
Baracole: The Baracole Begins: 1. The Lovers Of Capri
Baracole: The Baracole Begins: 2. Description Of Capri
Baracole: The Baracole Begins: 3. The Ships
Baracole: The Baracole Begins: 4. The Song
Bees: 1 [abejas]
The Beggars [los Mendigos]
The Bell-ringer [el Campanero]
Black Island Memorial [memorial De Isla Negra], Sels.
Black Pantheress [oda A La Pantera Negra]
The Blow [el Golpe]
Book [libro]
Boy With A Hare [oda Al Nino De La Liebre]
Cataclysm: 8 [cataclismo]
Catnap [sueno De Gatos]
A Century Dying [el Siglo Muere]
Conditions [condiciones]
Cristobal Miranda (stevedore, Tocopilla)
Critical Sonata: Memory [la Memoria]
Critical Sonata: The Truth [la Verdad]
The Cruel Fire: The Sea [el Mar]
The Cruel Fire: The Tides [mareas]
The Danger [el Peligro]
Dead Portraits [retratos Muertos]
The Dictators [los Dictadores]
Diver [oda Al Buzo]
Dog [perro]
A Dream Of Trains [suenos De Trenes]
Dying [morir]
Elemental Odes [odas Elementales], Sels.
Elephant [oda Al Elefante], Sels.
The Enemy [el Enemigo]
Enigma With A Flower [enigma Con Una Flor]
The Enigmas
The Fire [el Fuego]
Flies Enter A Clsoed Mouth [por Bosca Cerrada Entran Moscas]
For Everybody [para Todos]
Full Powers [plenos Poderes]
Further Elemental Odes [nuevas Odas Elementales], Sels.
General Song [canto General]
The Gift [el Regalo]
Girl Gardening [oda A La Jatdinera]
Goodbyes [adioses]
The Great Rock Table [la Gran Mesa De Piedra Dura]
The Harp [el Arpa]
The Heights Of Macchu Picchu: 4
The Heights Of Macchu Picchu: 5
The Heights Of Macchu Picchu: 7
Horseman In Rain [jinete En La Lluvia]
Horses [caballos]
A Hundred Love Sonnets [cien Sonetos De Amor], Sels.
Hunger In The South [hambre En El Sur]
Lament [el Llanto]
A Lemon [oda Al Limon]
Little Devils [diablitos]
Love Sonnet: 12. Morning [manana]
Love Sonnet: 27. Morning [manana]
Love Sonnet: 29. Morning [manana]
Love Sonnet: 38. Afternoon [mediodia]
Love Sonnet: 60. Evening [tarde]
Love Sonnet: 76. Evening [tarde]
Love Sonnet: 78. Evening [tarde]
Love Sonnet: 86. Night [noche]
Love Sonnet: 87. Night [noche]
Love Sonnet: 90. Night [noche]
Me Again [siempre Yo]
The Moon In The Labyrinth: Opium In The East [el Opio Este]
The Moon In The Labyrinth: Religion In The East
The Moon In The Labyrinth: That Light [aquella Luz]
The Moon In The Labyrinth: Those Lives [aquellas Vidas]
Negatve Hands [las Manos Negativas]
Ode On Ironing [oda Para Lpanchar]
Old Women By The Sea [las Niejas Del Oceano]
Open Sea [el Gran Oceano]
Parthenogenesis [partenogensis]
Party's End: 10 [fin De Fiesta]
Party's End: 11 [fin De Fiesta]
Party's End: 12 [fin De Fiesta]
Party's End: 13 [fin De Fiesta]
Party's End: 8 [fin De Fiesta]
Party's End: 9 [fin De Fiesta]
Pastoral
Piano [oda Al Piano]
The Poet [el Poeta]
Poets Celestial [los Poetas Celestes]
Poor Fellows [pobres Muchachos]
Processional In Lima: 1947 [procesion En Lima]
A Remembrance [un Recuerdo]
Residence I: Ars Poetica [arte Poetica]
Residence I: Burial In The East [entierro En El Este]
Residence I: Dream Horse [caballo De Los Suenos]
Residence I: Gentleman Alone [caballero Solo]
Residence I: Nocturnal Collection [coleccion Nocturnal]
Residence I: Ritual Of My Legs [ritual De Mis Piernas]
Residence I: Savor [sabor]
Residence Ii: Alberto Rojas Jimenez Comes Flying
Residence Ii: Ode With A Lament [oda Con Un Lamento]
Residence Ii: There's No Forgetting: Sonata [no Hay Olvido]
Residence Iii: A Few Things Explained [explico Algunas Cosas
Residence Iii: How Spain Was [como Era Espana]
Residence Iii: The Woes And The Furies, Sels.
The Root-hunter: Fisherman [el Pescador]
The Root-hunter: Hunter In The Forest [el Cazador El Bosque]
The Root-hunter: Winter Encounter [cita De Invierno]
The Same [el Mismo]
Semen
Sick Man In The Sun [el Enfermo Toma El Sol]
Sitting Down [a Sentarse]
Skystones: 1 [las Pedras Del Cielo]
Skystones: 10 [las Pedras Del Cielo]
Skystones: 13 [las Pedras Del Cielo]
Skystones: 15 [las Pedras Del Cielo]
Skystones: 16 [las Pedras Del Cielo]
Skystones: 20 [las Pedras Del Cielo]
Skystones: 23 [las Pedras Del Cielo]
Skystones: 26 [las Pedras Del Cielo]
Skystones: 27 [las Pedras Del Cielo]
Skystones: 28 [las Pedras Del Cielo]
Sleeping Assassin [un Aseino Duerme]
A Smell Of Cordwood [ida Al Olor De La Lena]
Some Beasts [algunas Bestias]
Stationary Point [estacion Inmovil]
Summation [sumario]
Theater Of The Gods [teatro De Dioses]
Things Breaking [oda A Las Cosas Rotas]
Third Book Of Odes [tercer Libro De Las Odas], Sels.
To The Foot From Its Child [al Pie Desde Su Nino]
To Wash A Child [para Lavar A Un Nino]
The Traveler [el Caminante]
The Turtle [la Tortuga]
The United Fruit Co
V. (cesar Vallejo)
Walking Around
The Wars [las Guerras]
Where The Rain Begins: Father [el Padre]
Where The Rain Begins: Little Boy Lost [el Nino Peddido]
Where The Rain Begins: Swan Lake [el Lago De Los Cisnes]
Word [verbo]
The World Filled Up [se Lleno El Mundo]
The Xix [el Xix]
Yesterday [ayer]
-- Table of Poems from Poem Finder®

Product Details

• Paperback: 464 pages
• Publisher: Grove Press (January 12, 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0802130356
• ISBN-13: 978-0802130358
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.4 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 1.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (23 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #335,232 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Changes in language forgiveable, but not changes in tone, May 7, 2001

By 

JeFF Stumpo (Martin, TN United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Five Decades: Poems 1925-1970 (Neruda, Pablo) (Paperback)

Translating poetry is different, for the most part, than translating a novel or movie script. The translator often tries to match the rhythm and sound of the original work while writing in the second language. In this instance, Ben Belitt chooses to forgo keeping Neruda's rhythem and sounds and inserts his own word choices. Sometimes this strays very far from a "literal" translation of Neruda's words, but after all, this is poetry. Some metaphors and play-on-words simply cannot be translated. Therefore, a translator should be allowed a little freedom with word choice.

What is unforgiveable, however, is to completely change the tone of the poet's voice when translating his or her work. A perfect example lies in the poem "Caballos," or "Horses" on pages 180-183. Throughout the poem, Neruda expresses his wonder at ten beautiful horses, describing them as "godlike" and "elegant." Belitt does a decent job of relating these feelings until the 25th line. Neruda writes "cortadas en la piedra de su orgullo," which Belitt translates as "carved in the stone of their arrogance." If I were to tell you that the word "orgullo" can be translated as "pride" or "arrogance," which would you choose for a poem that genuinely praises something? To throw a word with negative connotations in with such carelessness is evident of how Belitt pays little attention to the feeling and emotion behind Neruda's poems. This example is not meant to be nit-picking. Rather, it is just one of many oversights that subtly changes the meanings of the poetry.

Mistakes like these do cause English-only speakers to be turned off to Neruda's poetry. Please look to another translation, in particular one that has been rated highly BY THE READERS. The praise for this book, if you read the back cover, is actually for Pablo Neruda's poetry. No one will deny that Neruda was a master, it is the translator that is lacking.

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars ¡Qué verguenza!, October 22, 2003

By 

Eric J. Lyman (Roma, Lazio Italy) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Five Decades: Poems 1925-1970 (Neruda, Pablo) (Paperback)

I just sat down for a quiet night of reading some wonderful Pablo Neruda poems while sipping from a soothing cup of warm tea, and I was rudely shocked at the ham-handed translations I found on the pages of this book!

I am not particularly a fan of poetry, but Mr. Neruda's transcendent and passionate work has always held a special place in my heart. I discovered Mr. Neruda's poems in the original Spanish some time ago, but I bought this edition more recently because I feared that the last few years in Italy had eroded by Spanish skills to the point that I'd benefit from having my native English to refer to for help. Instead, the translations left me appalled.

Anyone reading Mr. Neruda's poems for the first time with this book could only assume that this great poet was a mediocre talent trying to impress beyond his abilities. The rhythm is gone, the intelligence is altered, and the word choice sometimes sounds as if it was produced by one of those annoying Internet translation programs. At points, I was seriously left wondering if Mr. Belitt is even a native English speaker.

It's a terrible shame, too, because it's so nice to have both languages in the same edition. And while I am strongly critical of Mr. Belitt's translations, I cannot at all fault his selection of poems: all of the Neruda poems I like best are here, whether they are well known or obscure.

As I am about to file this review, I see that all but a couple of my fellow reviewers came to the same conclusion I did. Take our advice, please! Seek out another, better translation of Mr. Neruda's work. I'm not sure which to suggest, but rest assured that you could hardly find an inferior one.

12 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Can we give negative ratings?, July 28, 2000

By 

"foxgraham" - See all my reviews

This review is from: Five Decades: Poems 1925-1970 (Neruda, Pablo) (Paperback)

As a student in the master's program at ASU, I purchased this and a few other Neruda texts for academic reasons but was horribly disappointed by this abomination. Ben Belitt appears to be a poor poet who wants to make himself great by editing the work of master poet Neruda. His translations are sloppy, his wording is confusing, and he seems to write just to hear himself talk. Does he speak either English or Spanish? His style would indicate that he simply searched through a thesaurus for the longest synonym he could find. Did he get paid by the word, or is this some cruel joke to intentionally butcher great works? Neruda's work is straightforward and rich, and from that comes the magic of his voice. Belitt steals the sound, tone, and quality of Neruda and replaces it with his own convoluted and idiotic style. Somehow, Belitt managed to ruin Neruda's brilliant anaphoras, surely the easiest part of a poem to translate. Even a foreigner to Spanish can feel Neruda's rhythm in his text. Was Belitt trying to ruin it? I find the only way to read this text is to ignore the English side entirely and rely on Neruda's Spanish text alone and hope I can pick up enough of the Latinate words to fully understand Neruda's genius. I want my money back.