Being like Maize by Pablo Neruda

Name: Being like Maize
Author: Pablo Neruda

The poem explores the themes of love, nature, and identity through a series of metaphors and vivid imagery. It describes a romantic relationship between two people, likening their love to the growth and harvest of maize. The speaker reflects on the cyclical nature of life, comparing the passing of seasons to the stages of human existence.

By Pablo Neruda · First published 1956 · Genre: Poetry, Existentialism, Surrealism · 130 words

First lines

Being like maize grains fell in the inexhaustible store of lost deeds, shoddy occurrences, from nine to five, to six, and not one death but many came to each, each day a little death: dust, maggot, lamp, drenched in the mire of suburbs, a little death with fat wings entered into each man like a short blade and siege was laid to him by bread or knife: the drover, the son of harbors, the dark captain of plows, the rodent wanderer through dense streets: all of them weakened waiting for their death, their brief and daily death- and their ominous dwindling each day was like a black cup they trembled while they drained.

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Being like Maize is listed on Textopian as a poem by Pablo Neruda, dated 1956 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: 1956 CE
Language: English
Genres: Poetry, Existentialism, Surrealism, Social Commentary, Modernism
Length: 130 words
Structure: 1 section, 1 paragraphs
Reading fit: Very Confusing

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Genres

Poetry — The work is written in a poetic form, utilizing imagery and metaphor to convey deep themes.
Existentialism — The themes explore the nature of existence, mortality, and the human condition.
Surrealism — The imagery and language evoke a dream-like quality, reflecting the subconscious.
Social Commentary — The text critiques societal norms and the struggles of everyday life.