Ceremonial Songs

by Pablo Neruda, Maria Jacketti (Translator)

Presented in English beside the original Spanish-language poems, this edition makes several Pablo Neruda poems available in English—shining jewels that celebrate Neruda's ability to explore landscapes of the heart and mind through the canto or sacred song. The universal message of the poems remains timeless.

Genres: Poetry

144 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1961

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

[Megan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Makes me want to learn Spanish to read these in the original language. Inspired my own soul poetry to come out as I was reading, which was cathartic and lovely.

[J.P. Cifuentes Cifuentes · Rating 3 out of 5]

En un artículo académico leí que Neruda tenía unos poemas de ciencia ficción. Bajo esa premisa descubrí que en su poemario Cantos Ceremoniales, uno de los últimos poemas escritos por el poeta, hay un par de textos que se pueden clasificar dentro del ámbito cienciaficcionario. Por ejemplo, el poema El sobrino de occidente termina con los siguientes versos: "y poco a poco el mundo tiene gusto a gusano / y no hay hierba, no existe rocío en el planeta".
A pesar de esto, es un poemario que no termina en su conjunto de cuajar.

[Jiwon Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

Poetry can feel like a guessing game because it's vague, but this book felt like an aria, with sprinkles of Neruda's magic hidden in between lines. "And if there exists a lost teardrop in the language, let it slip into my cup. By drinking it, I will know what I didn't know then." Seriously, if this isn't beautiful, I don't know what is. There were at least 3-5 times when I HAD to pause and just indulge how sensual he is with words. If a book makes you want to write, it's a great book.

[Alexis Gálvez · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cantos ceremoniales no me gustó nada, pero sí Plenos poderes. Aún así, Neruda no me parece el gran poeta que tanto hicieron entender. No era malo del todo, compuso buenos versos, pero deja mucho que desear. No es más que otro artista de izquierda que fue ebellecido por la lucha popular.

[Bristol · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn't like the flow of these works as much as his other collection but there was still a lot of beautiful poetry in it. Just didn't get me as hard as his other book did. Definitely worth the read if someone is a fan of his style however.

[goober · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think everyone needs to read The Great Summer and Fiesta's End before they die. Neruda you will always be everything to me. No one will ever do it like you did ever again.

[Andrew · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wont lie, Neruda lies behind 40% of my own poetic voice. The sort of God's Eye view that he takes is amazing, best I can attempt to describe it with little time for a proper review.

[Andrea · Rating 4 out of 5]

I can taste these words, love songs to the sea and the land. I can only dream of writing words like these.