Robert Teeter
asked
Mark Eisner:
After having read a large helping of Neruda's poetry over the past few years, I just finished your biography and loved it. (Will write a full review soon.) I have a question: What is the source of the quote, "Podrán cortar todas las flores, pero no podrán detener la primavera"? I see it quoted a lot, and as you say it's been revived for some recent political movements, but I haven't found the source. Thank you.
Mark Eisner
Robert, thank you so much for your words and your very thoughtful question/concern. You have reason to wonder its source. You weren't the only one. Long story short (happy to explain the long story!), now in the paperback edition (retitled: Neruda: The Biography of a Poet)-- you'll find a footnote next to that quote:
"Surprisingly, perhaps disappointingly so, this quote is actually apocryphal. Despite its popular use and consistent attribution to Neruda, there's no record of Neruda ever saying or writing it. It has actually been attributed to Ernesto "Che" Guevara."...
"Surprisingly, perhaps disappointingly so, this quote is actually apocryphal. Despite its popular use and consistent attribution to Neruda, there's no record of Neruda ever saying or writing it. It has actually been attributed to Ernesto "Che" Guevara."...
More Answered Questions
Mike
asked
Mark Eisner:
Your wonderful and deeply immersive Neruda biography kept me up until 3 in the morning last night, and I am looking forward to this leisurely weekend to finish it and add it to my Neruda shelf. I was introduced to Neruda and his work by my mentor, the poet Martín Espada, when I studied with him at UMass in the mid 1990's. What was your first exposure to Neruda's poetry?
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