What We Accept Without Wanting To
The poem explores the human tendency to accept and tolerate painful experiences and emotions without actively seeking them out. It delves into the complexities of human relationships, love, and suffering, highlighting how people often endure hurt and anguish in the name of love or loyalty. The speaker describes this phenomenon as a fundamental aspect of human existence, suggesting that it is an inherent part of being alive.
By Pablo Neruda · First published 1974 · Genre: Poetry, Existentialism, Surrealism · 265 words
First lines
Oh, what longing for no, no, no, no.
How much life we spend or lose yes yes yes yes yes yes.
We were down in the mud that time and when we fell from the star further, among buffaloes on fire with clashing horns, when we couldn't move nearer or further, the moment of indecision which corrodes with the slow seep of acid, finally, in every sense, we lost our will and there we stayed, alive but dead.
Because it's always to save
What this Textopian page supports
What We Accept Without Wanting To 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, Existentialism, Surrealism, Philosophical Literature, Contemporary Literature
- Length: 265 words
- Structure: 1 section, 8 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for What We Accept Without Wanting To 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 What We Accept Without Wanting To?
- 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
- There Is No Oblivion Sonata by Pablo Neruda
- It Was Not You by Pablo Neruda
- The Disinterred One by Pablo Neruda
- Melancholy In The Families by Pablo Neruda
- The Masks by Pablo Neruda
- Time That Wasnt Lost by Pablo Neruda
Genres
- Poetry — The work is characterized by its lyrical and expressive language, typical of poetry, focusing on themes of longing and existential reflection.
- Existentialism — The themes explore the nature of existence, indecision, and the human condition, aligning with existentialist philosophy.
- Surrealism — The imagery and abstract concepts presented evoke a surreal quality, challenging conventional perceptions of reality.
- Philosophical Literature — The text engages with deep philosophical questions about life, choice, and the human experience.
Tags
Poetry · Chilean Literature · Latin American Poetry · Love Poems · Elegy · Mourning · Loss · Grief · Memory · Nostalgia · Longing · Desire
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