I like for you to be still: it is as though you were absent, and you hear me from far away and my voice does not touch you.
Meaning
In this poem, Neruda describes loving someone's silence and distance, a quiet that feels both close and out of reach. It names the ache inside intimacy. When your partner is withdrawn, practice patience: sit nearby, ask once how they are, and let silence be allowed without pressing for words.
Source: Twenty Love Poems and a Song of Despair (1924), trans. W. S. Merwin
About the author
(1904–1973) was a Chilean poet and diplomat known for his passionate and lyrical poetry. His works, including "Twenty Love Poems and a Song of Despair," explore love, politics, and human emotion. Neruda received the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1971. His poetry has been widely translated and celebrated. Pablo Neruda’s legacy continues to inspire readers and writers worldwide.
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