If you Forget Me

If You Forget Me 

I want you to know

one thing. 

You know how this is: 

if I look 

at the crystal moon, at the red branch 

of the slow autumn at my window, 

if I touch 

near the fire 

the impalpable ash 

or the wrinkled body of the log, 

everything carries me to you, 

as if everything that exists, 

aromas, light, metals, 

were little boats 

that sail 

toward those isles of yours that wait for me. 

Well, now, 

if little by little you stop loving me 

I shall stop loving you little by little. 

If suddenly 

you forget me 

do not look for me, 

for I shall already have forgotten you. 

If you think it long and mad, 

the wind of banners 

that passes through my life, 

and you decide 

to leave me at the shore 

of the heart where I have roots, 

remember 

that on that day, 

at that hour, 

I shall lift my arms 

and my roots will set off 

to seek another land. 

But 

if each day, 

each hour, 

you feel that you are destined for me 

with implacable sweetness, 

if each day a flower 

climbs up to your lips to seek me, 

ah my love, ah my own, 

in me all that fire is repeated, 

in me nothing is extinguished or forgotten, 

my love feeds on your love, beloved, 

and as long as you live it will be in your arms 

without leaving mine. 

Pablo Neruda

When I first read this poem, I didn't quite understand what the poet was trying to convey. This made me want to search up the time and the reasoning behind the poem and find out what the author was like. According to the biography by Adam Feinstein, Neruda wrote “If you Forget Me” when he was in Switzerland, when his wife was travelling to Paris. He travelled to the Swiss village with his lover Matilde Urrutia, known as Rosario, the secret nickname for Matilde. Based on this, it seems that this poem has been written for her through it cannot be confirmed as he refers to the person as “you”. His life and his poetry also have the effects of being a communist in idealistic and emotional views.

                      

                     

This poem consists of six stanzas and like said earlier, it only refers to the other person as “you” and based on the biography, we can assume he means Matilde. The poem also consists of many different literary devices such as alliteration, imagery, contrasts and some types of symbolic meanings.

           Matilde and Pablo

            The first stanza includes only 2 lines; a sentence, or a statement, “I want you to know one thing.” This line is like an open ended statement, it leaves the reader hanging, in thought about what this “one thing” is. Personally, this sounds like a statement a lover gives before he/she starts to explain their feelings to the other person, or something a person would say right before a threat. This makes me want to read on, find out what the poet is going to say. My parents always say that the more you talk, the more people get distracted. Keep your thoughts nice and simple, to the POINT. In my opinion, the poet has taken the same thought into consideration and said what he wanted to say in one simple sentence.

                            

            The second stanza consists of 14 lines. This stanza includes many symbols and the diction used sparks various images into the reader’s mind. This stanza is beautifully written as it expresses a feeling that we can all relate to. The idea of being in love when every thought and moment in the world around you somehow leads you back to the thing you love. I believe that he expresses his love and conveys his feelings in a very caring and beautiful manner. Then comes the description and the diction that creates imagery in our heads. It seems like the lines 3-9 in this stanza refer to objects that are visibly present in the setting of this poem. The images created by “the crystal moon…red branch…the ash…the wrinkled body of the log…little boats that sail…” These are just examples of the things that created images in my head. This helped me understand this poem because I can visually imagine the setting of the scene in which Neruda wrote this poem. These literacy devices help me visualize the poem and with this, I can have a better understanding of what I’m reading. This stanza also creates a mood through the imagery; the calmness found through the images. There is also a contrast between the intangible ashes as they can be destroyed compared to the logs that won’t. I really like this stanza as I’ve always loved reading passages that create a sense of calmness and love, passion. However, it makes me think that all of this is temporary as from reading the biography; I know that Pablo is in this relationship despite being married. It makes me think that Neruda is not someone who can make commitments.

   

            The third stanza, again, is really short, this time, having only three lines. Compared to the second stanza, this is the total opposite of what we felt then. It makes a simple point again, but this time, it’s about separating. The poet makes love seem like a small, simple thing in this stanza. As if love can easily be broken if one person leaves the other. We see that the poet has included the passing of time through “little by little.” I believe he suggests that at first, you two are inseparable, but as time goes by, and the moments seem to fade away, you are left with nothing to hold on to. One day, you can wake up and realize that you’ve lost that feeling of love. Personally, I don’t like this stanza because it ruins the mood it created in the second stanza. It brings in a sense of negativity to the poem; the thought of separating when they’re supposed to enjoy the moments. But then again, he’s in an affair, so the thought of being caught or not feeling the same will always be in his head.

                               

            The fourth stanza consists of four lines. This stanza makes me believe that the poet somehow knows that this relationship may not end well and he can tell whether or not it will survive. It’s like he’s ready for whatever becomes of this affair. In the third stanza, the poet talked about love and losing the feeling over time, in this stanza, we see the contrast between “little by little” and “suddenly.” Like I said before, we see the feelings of love fade gradually, but one day, “suddenly” the feelings are all gone. It reminds me of a movie I saw… (I don’t remember the name). In the movie, the lead female had already gone through two heartbreaks and was not ready for another one. Before she got too deep and prepared herself for another heartbreak, she asked the lead male for the confirmation of his love. She wanted him to be true to her and tell her if he was serious about her, because if he was not serious about getting into a relationship, she would be gone before he even knew it.

            The fifth stanza consists of twelve lines. Again, this stanza summarizes what the previous stanzas said, but this time, it involves images and symbols. In a way, I think he’s saying that the lover has to accept him the way he is or else he’ll leave her too. If she really loves him, she won’t leave. The use of the words “roots” and “land” seem to be very important, too. I believe that they represent metaphors as for the roots can symbolize the memories and the people that hold them to the place they’re in. Thinking back, everything brought back thoughts of his love and this is just an example of those feelings. This stanza makes me think of the roots that I have which make me who I am today. The memories that keep me rooted to the land I am on right now, not letting me gather the nerves to leave.

                          

            The final stanza consists of thirteen lines. This stanza feels like it takes us back on the path of calmness. It’s like he’s telling his love that he lives off of her love. As long as she continues to accept him and love him every day, he would return the love. It seems like he’s afraid this relationship won’t end well, so he keeps repeating the fact that as long as she shows her loyalty and the love towards him, he will do the same. The flower can be a symbol of joy and love, the season of spring when there are many flower blossoming, like the love that they have; it can blossom and grow as days go by, but always with the fear of dying out.  

            I feel like this poem is very well written taking us on a roller coaster of moods. It starts off slow, making us think about the one thing he wants to say, then it goes up with the calm, slow pace of the love he expresses and then suddenly it all goes downhill. In the end, he brings it back to a slow pace not directly telling her that the one thing she has to do is show her loyalty and prove that she will love him. I personally like this poem as it shows both sides to the poet. The poet talks about the nice sweet side to his love and the possible downfalls that can occur if they don’t continue showing the same amount of love.