Antologia Popular-neruda

by Pablo Neruda

Pablo Neruda (Parral, 1904-Santiago de Chile, 1973) fue el seudónimo que consagró a Neftalí Ricardo Reyes Basoalto como la voz lírica más abundante y admirada de la literatura hispanoamericana del siglo desde Veinte poemas de amor y una canción desesperada (1924), pasando por Residencia en la tierra (1933 y 1935) y Canto general (1950) hasta llegar a su autobiografía en prosa Confieso que he vivido (1974). Esta Antología popular, que por primera vez se repone al alcance del gran público, es la única que hizo el poeta sobre su propia obra. Se trata de una selección destinada, en principio, a ser editada para concelebrar de modo multitudinario el premio Nobel y el septuagésimo aniversario de su nacimiento. Una de las escasísimas copias del original, preparado con la ayuda de Homero Arce, la conserva Manuel Márquez de la Plata que ha cuidado esta edición facsímil como homenaje al poeta en el centenario de su nacimiento.

Genres: Poetry

144 pages, Hardcover

First published June 29, 2004

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

[Diana Aranda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Personalmente, debo confesar que este libro me acompañó en un momento muy importante y quizá por eso no puedo evitar conmoverme ante versos como los que siguen...

"Vienes de la pobreza de las casas del Sur, 
de las regiones duras con frío y terremoto 
que cuando hasta sus dioses rodaron a la muerte
nos dieron la lección de la vida en la greda.

Eres un caballito de greda negra, un beso
de barro oscuro, amor, amapola de greda,
paloma del crepúsculo que voló en los caminos,
alcancía con lágrimas de nuestra pobre infancia.
Muchacha, has conservado tu corazón de pobre,
tus pies de pobre acostumbrados a las piedras,
tu boca que no siempre tuvo pan o delicia.
Eres del pobre Sur, de donde viene mi alma:
en su cielo tu madre sigue lavando ropa
con mi madre. Por eso te escogí, compañera."

En definitiva, creo que esta obra puede ser, para algunos, una puerta a la obra de su autor y a la poesía en general; y para otros, una oportunidad de recuperar algo valioso, quizá olvidado o apartado en nuestra memoria por el paso del tiempo.

[Ruth Cordero · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mi poemario favorito ✨

Recomiendo Cien sonetos de amor (1959)

[daniela illanes · Rating 4 out of 5]

Neruda es una persona que ama. Ama mucho, y si no es amor lo que expresa, es un sentimiento con la misma fortaleza y carácter sublime del amor. Transité con el lo que es el amor al hogar, el amor a la patria, el amor a lo que sucedió en el pasado que llevo a que las cosas fuesen como son hoy, el amor romántico e hilarantemente el amor a los gatos y la cebolla. Increíble lo dinámico que fue para escribir, lo variable de su poesía y lo potente de sus sentimientos. Un 14 de febrero no puedo evitar pensar en que él lo celebró con todo, porque a todo lo que miraba parecía amar

[Jordan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Some of the best poetry. I bought this at a Corte Ingles in Madrid when I was pretty heartbroken and also physically ill, and discovered some poems that are now my all-time favorites.