Sonnet Xvii

I do not love you as if you were salt-rose, or topaz,
or the arrow of carnations the fire shoots off.
I love you as certain dark things are to be loved,
in secret, between the shadow and the soul.

I love you as the plant that never blooms
but carries in itself the light of hidden flowers;
thanks to your love a certain solid fragrance,
risen from the earth, lives darkly in my body.

I love you without knowing how, or when, or from where.
I love you straightforwardly, without complexities or pride;
so I love you because I know no other way
than this: where I does not exist, nor you,
so close that your hand on my chest is my hand,
so close that your eyes close as I fall asleep. 

Pablo Neruda

      Analysis and personal opinions: 

       In the first stanza, I believe that Neruda is trying to express his love and that his love for her is beyond his love for beautiful flowers and gem stones. Since roses and carnations are common symbols of love, the author may be using them as a symbol and to create imagery within our minds. In the end of this stanza, he states that he loves her as "one loves certain obscure things". This may stand for how his love is unique and different than the love people usually have. It feels like there is some sort of mystery behind his love. 

 

      In the second stanza, he uses metaphors to symbolize and express his love for her. I believe that he is saying that the outer appearance doesn't matter. He only cares for what lies inside. The love that they have is mysterious and he likes it that way. The end of the stanza makes me believe that he is talking about how her love lights up his body. it gives him the feeling of undiscovered love, a newly blooming flower. 

 

       The third and last stanza starts off with  my favourite line from the poem, "I love you without knowing how, or when, or from where". And he's not afraid to admit that he loves her. It makes me happy knowing that he accepts her the way she is without being afraid of what people would say. Love has the power to make the flaws disappear and that is what i love best about it. the next line, "where i does not exist, nor you" expresses how the author feels like there is only one soul rather then 2 individual people. 

Personal opinion and Theme: 

   I personally love this poem because it is a clear representation of the love he has for his beloved. It is clear that the theme for this poem is love and how the feeling constantly renews itself. It makes me think about how he would feel if he had to experience heartbreak. The unconditional love that he has for his wife is evident. Marriages are not solely based off of love, it consists of trust, loyalty, mutual respect and commitment. Those things are important in any relationship.