Farewell to the Offerings of the Sea
The poem is a lament for the loss of a loved one who has died at sea. The speaker describes the offerings they would have made to the sea if their beloved were still alive, and mourns the fact that these offerings are now futile. The poem explores themes of love, loss, grief, and the powerlessness of humanity against nature.
By Pablo Neruda · First published 1959 · Genre: Poetry, Nature Writing, Existentialism · 215 words
First lines
Return, return to the sea from these pages!
Fishes, mollusks, seaweed, escapees from the cold, return to the waist of the Pacific, to the giddy kiss of the wave, to the secret logic of rock.
Oh hidden ones, naked ones, submerged ones, slippery ones, it is the time of division and separation: paper reclaims me, the ink, the inkwells, the printing presses, the letters, the illustrations, the characters and numbers jumbled in riverbeds from where they ambush me: the women, and the men want my love, ask for my company, the children from Petorca, from Atacama, from Arauco, from Loncoche, also want to play with the poet!
What this Textopian page supports
Farewell to the Offerings of the Sea is listed on Textopian as a poem by Pablo Neruda, dated 1959 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: 1959 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Poetry, Nature Writing, Existentialism, Surrealism, Meditative Literature
- Length: 215 words
- Structure: 1 section, 8 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Standard (8th-9th Grade)
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Genres
- Poetry — The work is characterized by its lyrical and expressive language, typical of Neruda's poetic style.
- Nature Writing — The text explores themes of the sea and marine life, emphasizing the connection between humanity and nature.
- Existentialism — The themes of separation, belonging, and the search for identity reflect existential concerns.
- Surrealism — The imagery and abstract concepts present a dream-like quality, aligning with surrealist elements.
Tags
Poetry · Latin American Literature · Chilean Poetry · Sea Imagery · Nature · Elegy · Loss · Longing · Nostalgia · Memory · Love · Separation
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