The War (1936) by Pablo Neruda

The poem is a powerful anti-war statement that explores the devastating effects of war on humanity and the natural world. It condemns the destructive nature of war, lamenting the loss of life, innocence, and beauty. The speaker describes the horrors of war, from the cries of the wounded to the destruction of cities and landscapes. The poem also touches on the theme of imperialism, criticizing the exploitation and oppression of weaker nations by powerful ones. Throughout the poem, there is a sense of urgency and desperation, as the speaker pleads for an end to the violence and bloodshed.

By Pablo Neruda · First published 1936 · Genre: Poetry, Political Literature, War Literature · 177 words

First lines

Spain, shrouded in dreams, awakening like a head of hair with spikes of wheat,

I saw you being born, perhaps amid brambles and darkness, industrious, rising amid oak trees and mountains, traversing the air with open veins.

But I saw you attacked on street corners by the ancient bandoliers. They were masked, with their crosses made of vipers, their feet mired in the glacial swamp of corpses.

Then I saw your body extricated from brushlands, broken on the sand, bloody, opened, without world, spurred in agony.

• Open reader

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Genres

• Poetry — The work employs lyrical language, vivid imagery, and emotional depth characteristic of poetry.
• Political Literature — The themes revolve around war, conflict, and social justice, reflecting the political turmoil of Spain.
• War Literature — The narrative focuses on the impact of war, depicting violence and suffering associated with the Spanish Civil War.
• Social Commentary — The text critiques societal issues and the human condition in the context of conflict.

Tags

Poetry · Spanish Literature · War Poetry · Anti-Fascist · Political Activism · Social Commentary · Historical Context · Autobiographical Elements · Imagery · Symbolism · Free Verse · Stream-of-Consciousness

What this Textopian page supports

The War (1936) is listed on Textopian as a poem by Pablo Neruda, dated 1936 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: 1936 CE
• Language: English
• Genres: Poetry, Political Literature, War Literature, Social Commentary, Surrealism
• Length: 177 words
• Structure: 1 section, 6 paragraphs
• Reading fit: Standard (8th-9th Grade)

Good citation fit

• Work identity for The War (1936) by Pablo Neruda
• Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
• Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
• Readability and classroom-planning context
• Passage-specific claims should cite the exact /read/ URL for the relevant chapter or paragraph

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