Customer Reviews

Late and Posthumous Poems, 1968-1974: Bilingual Edition (Neruda, Pablo)

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

I bought this after reading some of Copper Canyon's books of Neruda's posthumous poetry. I'm fluent in Spanish, but can't find the books without translations here in the States. Simply put, while I loved Pablo's original words in this collection, it was anguishing to read these "translations," as they are more adaptations then anything else, and all of the original beauty and crystal poetic craft is lost. I'm going with the rest of Copper Canyon's series, I suggest you do the same.

Pablo Neruda did not live an ordinary life. Neither was his death ordinary (technically he died of internal hemmorhaging, however he was murdered after supporting the first democratically elected communist leader... chock full of scandal). The first thing his widow did after hearing of his death was running to her study and taking from his desk all the poems that lay atop it (since he was known to write at least five poems a day, they were plents). These are the poems that appear in this book... you will want to write a letter to Neruda's widow praising her for saving some of the most beautiful work that Neruda did. His lyric quality and graphic diction make this a collection of poetry you want to dedicate yourself to memorizing. The poetry buries itself in your heart and you suddenly see new beauty springing around you. A must-buy.

Angelica, another reviewer speaks for me as well: while I loved Pablo's original words in this collection, it was anguishing to read these "translations," as they are more adaptations then anything else, and all of the original beauty and crystal poetic craft is lost.
Yes ANGUISHING. The translator has molested Neruda's work, and smeared it with his ego. Why presses pay self-inflated bunglers to translate literary treasures defies me.
Buy The Essential Neruda instead--those translators obviously care about honest, faithful transmission, which is not the case here.