The poem explores the theme of love and desire through a series of surreal and dreamlike images. It describes a phantom-like figure that haunts the speaker's mind and heart, evoking feelings of longing and nostalgia. The poem also touches on the idea of absence and presence, as the speaker struggles to reconcile their desire for connection with the elusive nature of the phantom.
By Pablo Neruda · First published 1966 · Genre: Poetry, Modernist, Symbolism