This Broken Bell by Pablo Neruda

Name: This Broken Bell
Author: Pablo Neruda

The poem explores the theme of lost love and longing through the metaphor of a broken bell that can no longer produce sound. The speaker describes the bell's silence as a reflection of their own emotional state, conveying a sense of despair and hopelessness.

By Pablo Neruda · First published 1974 · Genre: Poetry, Nature Writing, Symbolism · 157 words

First lines

This broken bell still wants to sing: the metal now is green, the color of woods, this bell, color of water in stone pools in the forest, color of day in the leaves.

The bronze cracked and green, the bell with its mouth open to the ground and sleeping was entangled in bindweed, and the hard golden color of the bronze turned the color of a frog: it was the hands of water, the dampness of the coast, dealt green to the metal and tenderness to the bell.

What this Textopian page supports

This Broken Bell is listed on Textopian as a poem by Pablo Neruda, dated 1974 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: 1974 CE
Language: English
Genres: Poetry, Nature Writing, Symbolism, Modernist Literature, Surrealism
Length: 157 words
Structure: 1 section, 3 paragraphs
Reading fit: Fairly Difficult (10th-12th Grade)

Good citation fit

Work identity for This Broken Bell 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

Discussion starters

What should a reader notice first when entering This Broken Bell?
How does this poem by Pablo Neruda fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
Where does Poetry first become important in the reading?

Similar titles

Genres

Poetry — The work employs lyrical language, imagery, and metaphor typical of poetic forms.
Nature Writing — The text vividly describes natural elements and their interaction with the broken bell, emphasizing themes of decay and beauty in nature.
Symbolism — The bell serves as a symbol of loss and the passage of time, reflecting deeper emotional and existential themes.
Modernist Literature — The fragmented imagery and focus on subjective experience align with modernist literary techniques.