The Widower's Tango by Pablo Neruda
The poem explores the theme of love and loss through the metaphor of a tango dance. The speaker describes their longing for a deceased loved one, comparing their absence to an unfinished dance. The poem conveys a sense of yearning and nostalgia, emphasizing the pain of losing someone dear.
By Pablo Neruda · First published 2004 · Genre: Poetry, Literary Fiction, Romance · 511 words
First lines
Oh evil one, you must by now have found the letter, you must have wept with fury, and you must have insulted my mother's memory, calling her rotten bitch and mother of dogs, you must have drunk alone, all by yourself, your twilight tea, looking at my old shoes forever empty, and you won't be able any longer to recall my illnesses, my night dreams, my meals, without cursing me aloud as if I were still there, complaining about the tropics, about the corringhis coolies, about the poisonous fevers that did me so much harm, and about the frightful Englishmen that I still hate.
Evil one, really, what an enormous night, what a lonely earth!
What this Textopian page supports
The Widower's Tango is listed on Textopian as a poem by Pablo Neruda, dated 2004 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: 2004 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Poetry, Literary Fiction, Romance, Existentialism, Drama
- Length: 511 words
- Structure: 1 section, 9 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)
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Genres
- Poetry — The work is written in a poetic style, characterized by vivid imagery and emotional depth.
- Literary Fiction — The narrative explores complex themes of loss, memory, and solitude, typical of literary fiction.
- Romance — The text reflects deep emotional connections and longing, central to romantic literature.
- Existentialism — The themes of isolation and the search for meaning in the face of loss align with existentialist literature.
Tags
Love · Loss · Grief · Memory · Nostalgia · Longing · Desire · Passion · Intimacy · Solitude · Melancholy · Poetry
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