Against Death by Pablo Neruda (1952)
The poem is a lamentation of the death of a loved one, expressing grief and anger towards mortality. It describes the pain of losing someone dear, the struggle to come to terms with their passing, and the desire to defy death's power. The speaker implores death to return the deceased, but ultimately acknowledges its inevitability.
By Pablo Neruda · First published 1952 · Genre: Poetry, Political Literature, Philosophical Literature · 138 words
First lines
As punishment the bitter criminal is driving us to civil war.
He who was overthrown has his mouth full yet he wants to steal food from others, and another, poisoned by his wound, wants to spread its venom around.
Fratricidal claws want to lead us into a civil war full of contradictions without knowing that Chilean adversaries will always love the laws of life.
And even the strongest and most noble cannot win by bleeding dry the chosen land and exchanging life for death.
What this Textopian page supports
Against Death is listed on Textopian as a poem by Pablo Neruda, dated 1952 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Poem
- Author: Pablo Neruda
- Date: 1952 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Poetry, Political Literature, Philosophical Literature, Social Commentary, Contemporary Literature
- Length: 138 words
- Structure: 1 section, 7 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)
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Discussion starters
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Similar titles
- Death In The World by Pablo Neruda
- Only Death by Pablo Neruda
- It Is Not Necessary by Pablo Neruda
- What Will They Think Of My Hat by Pablo Neruda
- I Ask For Silence by Pablo Neruda
- How Long Do Others Speak by Pablo Neruda
Genres
- Poetry — The work is written in a poetic form, utilizing metaphor and imagery to convey deep emotional and philosophical themes.
- Political Literature — The text addresses themes of civil conflict, social justice, and the consequences of political actions, reflecting on the state of society.
- Philosophical Literature — The exploration of life, death, and the human condition indicates a philosophical approach to understanding existence.
- Social Commentary — The work critiques societal issues and encourages reflection on collective human experiences and responsibilities.
Tags
Poetry · Death · Mortality · Existentialism · Philosophical · Contemplative · Melancholic · Reflective · Introspective · Emotional · Personal · Autobiographical
More by Pablo Neruda
- Body of a Woman (1959)
- The Light Wraps You (1954)
- Ah Vastness of Pines (1975)
- The Morning Is Full (1954)
- So That You Will Hear Me (1976)
- I Remember You As You Were (1952)
- Leaning Into The Afternoons Leaning into the afternoons I cast my sad nets towards your oceanic eyes (1954)
- White Bee (1974)
- All works by Pablo Neruda