Stones Of Chile

by Pablo Neruda

L'idea di una raccolta dedicata alle pietre del litorale cileno era stata suggerita a Neruda da un'analoga pubblicazione, che aveva per oggetto "Le pietre di Francia", e che comprendeva poesie di Pierre Seghers e fotografie di Fina Gómez; infatti, la prima edizione de "Le pietre del Cile", apparsa nel 1960, era anch'essa corredata da fotografie di Antonio Quintana. Ma al di là della circostanza occasionale, la fisicità e il simbolo della pietra rivestono un ruolo importante nella poesia di Neruda, ribadito del resto, dieci anni dopo, con l'altra raccolta "Le pietre del cielo" e, più tardi ancora, con una delle sue ultime raccolte, "La rosa separata", dedicata alla mitica Rapa Nui e al suo popolo di statue misteriose, i 'moais'.

Genres: Poetry

98 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1960

About the author

Pablo Neruda, born Ricardo Eliécer Neftalí Reyes Basoalto in 1904 in Parral, Chile, was a poet, diplomat, and politician, widely considered one of the most influential literary figures of the 20th century. From an early age, he showed a deep passion for poetry, publishing his first works as a teenager. He adopted the pen name Pablo Neruda to avoid disapproval from his father, who discouraged his literary ambitions. His breakthrough came with Veinte poemas de amor y una canción desesperada (Twenty Love Poems and a Song of Despair, 1924), a collection of deeply emotional and sensual poetry that gained international recognition and remains one of his most celebrated works.
Neruda’s career took him beyond literature into diplomacy, a path that allowed him to travel extensively and engage with political movements around the world. Beginning in 1927, he served in various consular posts in Asia and later in Spain, where he witnessed the Spanish Civil War and became an outspoken advocate for the Republican cause. His experiences led him to embrace communism, a commitment that would shape much of his later poetry and political activism. His collection España en el corazón (Spain in Our Hearts, 1937) reflected his deep sorrow over the war and marked a shift toward politically engaged writing.
Returning to Chile, he was elected to the Senate in 1945 as a member of the Communist Party. However, his vocal opposition to the repressive policies of President Gabriel Gonzalez Videla led to his exile. During this period, he traveled through various countries, including Argentina, Mexico, and the Soviet Union, further cementing his status as a global literary and political figure. It was during these years that he wrote Canto General (1950), an epic work chronicling Latin American history and the struggles of its people.
Neruda’s return to Chile in 1952 marked a new phase in his life, balancing political activity with a prolific literary output. He remained a staunch supporter of socialist ideals and later developed a close relationship with Salvador Allende, who appointed him as Chile’s ambassador to France in 1970. The following year, he was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature, recognized for the scope and impact of his poetry. His later years were marked by illness, and he died in 1973, just days after the military coup that overthrew Allende. His legacy endures, not only in his vast body of work but also in his influence on literature, political thought, and the cultural identity of Latin America.

Reviews

[Elisa Vangelisti · Rating 3 out of 5]

sempre più mi stupisco delle assonanze fra me e il sommo poeta. da rileggere.

rilettura. confermo il giudizio perchè son poche le liriche preferite.

rilettura (da 3 a 4 stelle): poche ma buone. straordinario.

rilettura (da 4 a 3 stelle): è rimasta una sola lirica degna di nota, ma non posso liberarmi di questo volume perchè è straordinaria. abbasso solo il giudizio.

rilettura. confermo il giudizio, ma non posso conservare un volume per una lirica. libero

[Jo M · Rating 3 out of 5]

اكبر بهالغربة وما بتعرفني بلادي ؟
But for Neruda, the stones of chile is where he was born and where everything in the world began and shall end. He’s also a stone, for only stones love each other this much