Take bread away from me, if you wish,
take air away, but
do not take from me your laughter.
Do not take away the rose,
the lance flower that you pluck,
the water that suddenly
bursts forth in joy,
the sudden wave
of silver born in you.
My struggle is harsh and I come back
with eyes tired
at times from having seen
the unchanging earth,
but when your laughter enters
it rises to the sky seeking me
and it opens for me all
the doors of life.
My love, in the darkest
hour your laughter
opens, and if suddenly
you see my blood staining
the stones of the street,
laugh, because your laughter
will be for my hands
like a fresh sword.
Next to the sea in the autumn,
your laughter must raise
its foamy cascade,
and in the spring, love,
I want your laughter like
the flower I was waiting for,
the blue flower, the rose
of my echoing country.
Laugh at the night,
at the day, at the moon,
laugh at the twisted
streets of the island,
laugh at this clumsy
boy who loves you,
but when I open
my eyes and close them,
when my steps go,
when my steps return,
deny me bread, air,
light, spring,
but never your laughter
for I would die.
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Laughter
From guest Cartea (contact)
This is a great poem to excerpt when writing a love letter... the perfect balance of adoration and flattery for one's beloved. -
This has to be my absolute favorite of neruda's. I wrote this down and gave it to my love. Amazing piece, so beautifully written.
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Laughter Pablo Neruda
From guest Sandra (contact)
Thank you just what I need for my commitment poem for my Celebrants course -
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i meant middle four stanzas.
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I don't think the first and last stanzas are as strong as they should be, but I enjoyed the middle three stanzas. It's good for a love poem. But, I guess I would need to experience love to fully understand all of the imagery. He could have created better imagery so that the inexperienced could grasp the emotion that he's attempting to convey. I think it has potential.
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i found this poem for the first time in my sophomore english book. i read it and i was just, "whoa". i dunno why i like it so much. it's just...amazing.
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AND then there were poets! Fall in love with him all over again! My God! I forgot how wonderful he is!
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I love this poem. My boyfriend has memerized this poem and said it to me..
My love, in the darkest
hour your laughter
opens, and if suddenly
you see my blood staining
the stones of the street,
laugh, because your laughter
will be for my hands
like fresh
jet black paint
He changed the ending to something that both him and I both love. I love him.
I love the flow and beat of this poem. Its totally romantic and perfect. He sees it from both sides as well. Not only does he love the laughter and sees himself with it, he also sees himself without it, and I think that is great. This is one of my favorite poems and I love all the other work by Pable Naruda.
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This poem is awesome. The free style, at first glance or read through, seems just to be picked out of the air, the splits in the sentences, etc... but when you really read it and feel the poem as it moves through your mind, I think the flow of this (and many of his other) free style is so perfect. I love the way Neruda chooses words to describe this person's laughter and the affects it has on him, both with and without it. Overall this has to be one of my favorites by him, and I enjoy so much the emotion he evokes in me.
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this poem is so great i love this it is amazing how you can put such emotions into words thank you so much for sharing this with us
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A poet worthy of praise, a poem worthy of remembrance...
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I absolutely love this piece by Neruda! Each and every time i read it...i still walk away with that wistful feeling. It is such a deeply penetrating write. Something as simple as someone's laughter can be the driving force for wanting to just go on. All else can be lost...but with that laughter to cling to in the face of all adversity...anything can be overcome.
Just an excellent piece of poetry, in my opinion.
UB
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I like this poem as a sort of love poem, but to me it doesn't seem like the normal sap-crap you are wont to find. It's simple and visual, and I love the comparison he makes between being loveless and starving. It's beautiful.
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