Reject the Lightning by Pablo Neruda

Name: Reject the Lightning
Author: Pablo Neruda

The poem explores the theme of love and its transformative power. It describes a romantic encounter between two people, using imagery and metaphor to convey the intensity and beauty of their emotions. The speaker's lover is compared to a natural force, such as lightning, emphasizing the idea that their love is unstoppable and overwhelming.

By Pablo Neruda · First published 1954 · Genre: Poetry, Philosophical Literature, Nature Writing · 191 words

First lines

Lightning, you committed me to the slow pace of my work: with the warning at equinox of your phosphoric threat

I gathered up my choices, renounced what wasn't mine and found at my feet and with my eyes the abundances of autumn.

The flash taught me to be calm, not to lose light in the sky, to search inside of myself for the galleries of Earth, to dig in the hard ground until finding in that hardness the same site, in its agony, the meteor was seeking.

I learned the velocity needed to leave it in space, and to study my slowness

What this Textopian page supports

Reject the Lightning is listed on Textopian as a poem by Pablo Neruda, dated 1954 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: 1954 CE
Language: English
Genres: Poetry, Philosophical Literature, Nature Writing, Surrealism, Contemporary Literature
Length: 191 words
Structure: 1 section, 7 paragraphs
Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)

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Genres

Poetry — The work is written in a poetic form, utilizing imagery and metaphor to convey deep emotional and philosophical themes.
Philosophical Literature — The text explores themes of self-discovery, existence, and the relationship between nature and the self, characteristic of philosophical inquiry.
Nature Writing — The work reflects on natural elements, particularly lightning and autumn, emphasizing the connection between the human experience and the natural world.
Surrealism — The imagery and abstract concepts presented in the text align with surrealist themes, focusing on the subconscious and the juxtaposition of reality and imagination.