Pablo Neruda

cut flowers spring

"You can cut all the flowers, but you cannot keep spring from coming"

—Pablo Neruda (1904-1973)

laughter language soul

“Laughter is the language of the soul.”

—Pablo Neruda (1904-1973)

someday somewhere find yourself happy bitter

"Someday, somewhere - anywhere, unfailingly, you'll find yourself, and that, and only that, can be the happiest or bitterest hour of your life."

—Pablo Neruda (1904-1973)

travel read music grace die slowly

"He who does not travel, who does not read,

who does not listen to music,

who does not find grace in himself,

she who does not find grace in herself,

dies slowly."

—Pablo Neruda (1904-1973)

burning patience splendid happiness

"Only a burning patience will lead to the attainment of a splendid happiness."

—Pablo Neruda (1904-1973)

child play man lost miss

"A child who does not play is not a child, but the man who does not play has lost forever the child who lived in him, and he will certainly miss him."

—Pablo Neruda (1904-1973)

silence water hope struggle iron volcano

"Give me silence, water, hope

Give me struggle, iron, volcanoes."

—Pablo Neruda (1904-1973)

wine day-color night-color purple tapaz blood starry child earth

"Day-colored wine, night-colored wine, wine with purple feet or wine with topaz blood, wine, starry child of earth..."

—Pablo Neruda (1904-1973)

poetry peace flour bread

"Poetry is an act of peace. Peace goes into the making of a poet as flour goes into the making of bread."

—Pablo Neruda (1904-1973)

war pass divide dead shame innocent blood

"Perhaps this war will pass like the others which divided us leaving us dead, killing us along with the killers but the shame of this time puts its burning fingers to our faces. Who will erase the ruthlessness hidden in innocent blood?"

—Pablo Neruda (1904-1973)