You should comb over the shore

Name: You should comb over the shore
Author: Pablo Neruda

The poem explores the theme of longing and nostalgia through the speaker's desire to revisit a past love on the shore. The speaker yearns for a lost time and place, evoking sensual memories of the beloved. The poem's use of natural imagery, such as the sea and the shore, serves as a metaphor for the ebb and flow of human emotions.

By Pablo Neruda · First published 1954 · Genre: Poetry, Nature Writing, Meditative Literature · 160 words

First lines

You should comb over the shore of Lake Tragosoldo in Antiñana early, when the dew's still trembling on the hard cinnamon leaves, and gather up the damp stones, lakeside grapes of jasper, of blazing cobblestone, little purple pebbles or rock honeycombs bored out by volcanoes or bad weather, by the wind's snout.

Yes, the oblong chrysolite or the Ethiopian basalt or the massive map of the granite waits for you there, but no one comes but the anonymous fisherman sunk in his quivering trade.

Only I keep, sometimes in the morning, this appointment with slippery stones, soaked, crystalline, ashen, and with hands full of burnt-out fires, of secret structures, of clear almonds

What this Textopian page supports

You should comb over the shore is listed on Textopian as a poem by Pablo Neruda, dated 1954 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: 1954 CE
Language: English
Genres: Poetry, Nature Writing, Meditative Literature, Surrealism, Philosophical Literature
Length: 160 words
Structure: 1 section, 4 paragraphs
Reading fit: Fairly Difficult (10th-12th Grade)

Good citation fit

Work identity for You should comb over the shore 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 You should comb over the shore?
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 is characterized by its lyrical language, imagery, and emotional depth typical of poetry.
Nature Writing — The text focuses on the natural landscape, describing the shore, stones, and elements of the environment.
Meditative Literature — The reflective tone and exploration of personal thoughts and experiences align with meditative themes.
Surrealism — The vivid and imaginative descriptions evoke a surreal quality, blending reality with abstract elements.