Slender-Billed Parakeet by Pablo Neruda
The poem explores the theme of love and its transformative power. It describes a romantic relationship where two people become one, their bodies merging into a single entity. The speaker's lover is compared to a slender-billed parakeet, emphasizing beauty, delicacy, and fragility. The poem also touches on the idea that love can be both creative and destructive, as it consumes the individual selves of the lovers.
By Pablo Neruda · First published 1950 · Genre: Poetry, Nature Writing, Symbolism · 63 words
First lines
Enicognathus leptorhynchus
The tree had so many leaves it was toppling with treasure, from so much green it blinked and never closed its eyes.
That's no way to sleep.
But the fluttering foliage went flying off green and alive, each bud learned to fly, and the tree was left naked, weeping in the winter rain.
What this Textopian page supports
Slender-Billed Parakeet is listed on Textopian as a poem by Pablo Neruda, dated 1950 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: 1950 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Poetry, Nature Writing, Symbolism, Literary Fiction, Ecological Literature
- Length: 63 words
- Structure: 1 section, 4 paragraphs
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- Work identity for Slender-Billed Parakeet by Pablo Neruda
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- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
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Genres
- Poetry — The work is characterized by its lyrical language and exploration of nature, typical of Neruda's poetic style.
- Nature Writing — The vivid imagery and focus on the tree and its leaves highlight themes of nature and the environment.
- Symbolism — The tree and its transformation serve as symbols for broader themes of loss and change.
- Literary Fiction — The work employs a narrative style that emphasizes emotional depth and artistic expression.
Tags
Poetry · Nature · Birds · Wildlife · Latin American Literature · Chilean Poetry · Love · Passion · Desire · Imagery · Symbolism · Free Verse
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