Famous Sad Love Poem

This poem was published in 1924, just as Pablo Neruda entered his 20s. In this poem, the speaker is dealing with the end of a relationship and longing for the woman to be back in his arms. The repetition of, “Tonight I can write the saddest lines,” brings the reader’s attention to that theme throughout this sad love poem. Pablo Neruda used alliteration throughout this poem with many words beginning with “s” (saddest, shattered, stars, sky, soul, etc.).

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Neruda's poem resonates. Letting go is a process, when love is not requited anymore. How is it possible to do so easily? It is not. Today we are constantly surrounded by memories. The pain...

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Famous Poem

Tonight I Can Write The Saddest Lines

Pablo Neruda By more Pablo Neruda

Tonight I can write the saddest lines.

Write, for example, 'The night is shattered
and the blue stars shiver in the distance.'

The night wind revolves in the sky and sings.

Tonight I can write the saddest lines.
I loved her, and sometimes she loved me too.

Through nights like this one I held her in my arms
I kissed her again and again under the endless sky.

She loved me sometimes, and I loved her too.
How could one not have loved her great still eyes.

Tonight I can write the saddest lines.
To think that I do not have her. To feel that I have lost her.

To hear the immense night, still more immense without her.
And the verse falls to the soul like dew to the pasture.

What does it matter that my love could not keep her.
The night is shattered and she is not with me.

This is all. In the distance someone is singing. In the distance.
My soul is not satisfied that it has lost her.

My sight searches for her as though to go to her.
My heart looks for her, and she is not with me.

The same night whitening the same trees.
We, of that time, are no longer the same.

I no longer love her, that's certain, but how I loved her.
My voice tried to find the wind to touch her hearing.

Another's. She will be another's. Like my kisses before.
Her voice. Her bright body. Her infinite eyes.

I no longer love her, that's certain, but maybe I love her.
Love is so short, forgetting is so long.

Because through nights like this one I held her in my arms
my soul is not satisfied that it has lost her.

Though this be the last pain that she makes me suffer
and these the last verses that I write for her.

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Has this poem touched you? Share your story!
  • Jay Humphries by Jay Humphries
  • 5 months ago

Neruda's poem resonates. Letting go is a process, when love is not requited anymore. How is it possible to do so easily? It is not. Today we are constantly surrounded by memories. The pain one feels is part of "letting go". Accepting the pain and the hurt and yet, at the same time, honoring the love that has passed, allows us to be more whole than broken. It is OK to cry. Crying means that what we felt was real.... to us. However closure is important to allow us to move on. Neruda offers this at the end... "these the last verses that I write for her". He is determined to move on, even though his love for her still lingers... And we should do the same. It is the kindest thing we can do for ourselves. Be kind to yourselves my friends and others will be kind to you, and you will be kinder to others, and the world will become a better place... For you to love and love in again...

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  • His Lilly by His Lilly
  • 1 year ago

The poem reminded me of my very true love, someone I dearly adored. Even when he's gone, I feel like the love for him can never end. How could it end? It's imprisoned me in its shackles, and I find no way out of his fetters. Maybe he doesn't miss me or love me the way he used to do. I do love him, for I wait for him to message me and talk to me for once. I look at my phone with tearful eyes, but I have to call it a day, almost every time. He named me Lilly. I would engrave it in my soul and on my grave too because I dearly loved him, and he didn't respect my love. He trampled on my emotions, shoes on and didn't have mercy. But I, having no ego and selfishness adore him and love him to the ruins. I can't tolerate any other woman to have his touch or kiss like I have been given. I don't want to kiss any other man either. I don't know if he ever stumbles on this page and sees this name, he is definitely going to know it's me. It's his only love.
Love you,
Yours Only

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  • The Crowded Mind by The Crowded Mind
  • 1 year ago

Your story resonates with me. My heart aches while reading it. I, too, am hopeless that in this lifetime I will be able to forget the person I loved and still love.

  • AHMAD AZRIN HAKIM BIN ABDUL AZIZ by AHMAD AZRIN HAKIM BIN ABDUL AZIZ
  • 3 years ago

Amazing poem. The story made me feel sad even though I don't know why I feel like that. Maybe because I'm scared of losing someone that I love. For some reason, we're all scared of losing someone that we love in our life, but as times keep running and never stops, at some point we will know that the time is near. The time that we don't want to go to will eventually come and we need to be ready to let our special person go. In the end, we need to accept it because that is the nature of life. People come and go and never come back...

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  • Yaz Chopra by Yaz Chopra
  • 4 years ago

This poem reminded me of Ceara, whom I have recently fallen in love with. I was so out of my element by how I felt that I just blew it all to smithereens. I’m hurt but inspired because I had no idea that I could feel that way. It’s been 15 years since I felt that sort of electricity, and I felt that from the first time I saw her (which was 6 months before I spent any time with her), and now two weeks in, I feel as though it will be an uphill battle to revive any connection. I think it’s doable though. I think it’s very doable. I know that knowing her will have sparked me to be a better man in so many ways; and for that I’m eternally thankful. I read this poem as I’m looking for inspiration for song lyrics, and it’s hitting the spot. I hope this song turns out to be powerful!

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  • Jezreel Ann B.Fagcayang by Jezreel Ann B.Fagcayang
  • 5 years ago

When I read this poem it meant a lot. It makes me think deep while I'm reading the poem, and I almost cried.

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  • Orlando Sosa by Orlando Sosa
  • 5 years ago

I love this poem. My wife of 28 years just passed June 4, 2017, and I used to write her poetry all the time. I miss the sound of her voice, the touch of her hand, and the feeling of her arms around me. Somehow they made me feel that everything was okay and life was as it should be.

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