In fact, it was through his love poems that I was learning Italian when I was in Rome. My Couchsurfing host had a book of love sonnets by Pablo Neruda that were in Spanish on one page and Italian on the other. Every night before I went to sleep, I would read his poems as my heart melted and I soared through dreamland. Yep, I'm now one of those- a hopeless romantic. You would be, too.
Below is one of my favorite poems, not a a love poem, but just as good. It offers us a reflection about the way we live our daily lives: (English version below)
Original Version in Spanish
Muere lentamente quien no viaja,
quien no lee,
quien no escucha música,
quien no halla encanto en si mismo.
Muere lentamente quien destruye su amor propio,
quien no se deja ayudar.
Muere lentamente quien se transforma en esclavo del habito,
repitiendo todos los días los mismos senderos,
quien no cambia de rutina,
no se arriesga a vestir un nuevo color,
o no conversa con desconocidos.
Muere lentamente quien evita una pasión
y su remolino de emociones,
aquellas que rescatan el brillo en los ojos
y los corazones decaidos.
Muere lentamente quien no cambia de vida cuando está insatisfecho con su trabajo o su amor,
quien no arriesga lo seguro por lo incierto
para ir detrás de un sueño,
quien no se permite al menos una vez en la vida huir de los consejos sensatos…
¡Vive hoy!
¡Haz hoy!
¡Ariesga hoy!
¡No te dejes morir lentamente!
¡No te olvides de ser feliz!
English Version
Dies slowly he who does not travel,
who does not read,
quien no halla encanto en si mismo.
Muere lentamente quien destruye su amor propio,
quien no se deja ayudar.
Muere lentamente quien se transforma en esclavo del habito,
repitiendo todos los días los mismos senderos,
quien no cambia de rutina,
no se arriesga a vestir un nuevo color,
o no conversa con desconocidos.
Muere lentamente quien evita una pasión
y su remolino de emociones,
aquellas que rescatan el brillo en los ojos
y los corazones decaidos.
Muere lentamente quien no cambia de vida cuando está insatisfecho con su trabajo o su amor,
quien no arriesga lo seguro por lo incierto
para ir detrás de un sueño,
quien no se permite al menos una vez en la vida huir de los consejos sensatos…
¡Vive hoy!
¡Haz hoy!
¡Ariesga hoy!
¡No te dejes morir lentamente!
¡No te olvides de ser feliz!
English Version
Dies slowly he who does not travel,
who does not read,
who does not listen to music,
who finds no charm in himself.
Dies slowly he who destroys his love,
who does not even try.
Dies slowly he who transforms himself to a slave of habit,
repeating every day on the same path,
who does not change routine,
who does not risk to wear a new color,
or who does not talk to strangers.
Dies slowly he who avoids passion
and the whirl of emotions,
the ones that rescue the gleam in their eyes
and their deteriorated hearts.
Dies slowly he who does not change his life when he is dissatisfied with his work or his love,
Who does not risk security for the uncertainty,
to go after a dream,
who are not allowed, at least once in their life, flee from sensible advice ...
Live today!
Make today!
Risk it today!
Do not let yourself die slowly!
Do not forget to be happy!
who finds no charm in himself.
Dies slowly he who destroys his love,
who does not even try.
Dies slowly he who transforms himself to a slave of habit,
repeating every day on the same path,
who does not change routine,
who does not risk to wear a new color,
or who does not talk to strangers.
Dies slowly he who avoids passion
and the whirl of emotions,
the ones that rescue the gleam in their eyes
and their deteriorated hearts.
Dies slowly he who does not change his life when he is dissatisfied with his work or his love,
Who does not risk security for the uncertainty,
to go after a dream,
who are not allowed, at least once in their life, flee from sensible advice ...
Live today!
Make today!
Risk it today!
Do not let yourself die slowly!
Do not forget to be happy!
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