If You Forget Me by Pablo Neruda
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
Summary of If You Forget Me by Pablo Neruda
If You Forget Me by Pablo Neruda is a poem about loyalty, love, reciprocation of love, and the fear of losing someone you love.
In the poem, "If You Forget Me," Pablo Neruda addresses his lover, explaining how emotionally deep he thinks about her and how the physical things around him have continuously reminded him of her.
But he, however, warns her that he truly expects reciprocation of love from her. Therefore, if she stops showing him true love, he will unfailingly do likewise to her.
Analysis of If You Forget Me by Pablo Neruda
The poem begins with Pablo Neruda telling his lover that "I want you to know one thing." The one thing which Pablo Neruda actually wants his lover to know is that everything around him often remind him of her: when he stares at the crystal moon, at the red branch of the slow autumn, at my window, and other things, it "carries me to you".
To Pablo Neruda, almost everything reminds him of her; thus, he cannot hold himself but have to disclose it to her.
Pablo Neruda also highlights some of the things he notices. In fact, he notices that everything that exists, including "aroma, light, and meta" were equally like boats on the sea.
Pablo Neruda further reveals that these boats sail, bringing more and more memory about his lover to him.
Though Pablo Neruda loves wholeheartedly, he also believes that people can change. Someone who truly loves you can change tomorrow, and consequently, Pablo Neruda tells his lover if she apparently stops loving him, his own love for her will cease to continue.
He cannot love someone who does not love him. If perhaps she forgets about him, he will not search for her, and he will, too, forget about her.
This signifies that love should emanate from both partners who are deeply in love and not just only one person.
The poem also highlights that Pablo Neruda is not plainly forcing his lover to remain in a relationship she despises.
Amidst warning his lover against any plan to leave him, Pablo Neruda compares his own life to a strong wind which carries banners.
This delineates that Pablo Neruda's life is full of "movement, excitement, and difficulties." His heart is compared to a shore that has a deep root.
This shows that Pablo Neruda's love is pure and truthful. This has made him to be deeply and emotionally attached to his lover.
Though he deeply loves her, but he cannot promise to keep remaining forever in love with her if she decides to leave.
Pablo Neruda becomes extremely specific about his action: he will not fail to quickly raise his arm, moving his roots to another land.
Another important thing which Pablo Neruda attempts to explain is that if his lover refuses to return similar degree of love which he shows her, he will leave and seek for someone else who will truly appreciate him as well as love him too.
The poem lines above shows how Pablo Neruda will reciprocate his love if his lover appreciates, loves, and also cares about him. He too will continue to love her endlessly.
The final lines of the poem portray how Pablo Neruda actually desires his relationship to be. What Pablo Neruda wants is a long-lasting relationship that will bring happiness to both of them and making them not to leave each other.
Themes in If You Forget Me by Pablo Neruda.
1. Theme of love: The poem focuses chiefly on love. Throughout the poem, Pablo Neruda keeps mentioning love, reminding his lover how things around him bring the memory about her.
2. Theme of separation: It is not all loves that overcome obstacles. Therefore, Pablo Neruda warns his lover of the action he will take if he realizes that his lover does not love him. He informs her clearly that he will separate from her.
Literary devices in If You Forget Me by Pablo Neruda
1. Personification: The poem presents a flower clamping the lips of his lover. Human attribute in this kind of poem is given to flower.
2. Repetition: There are several words repeated in the poem. These repeated words include: if I, at, everything, you, and other repeated words in the poem.
3. Imagery: Pablo Neruda uses physical things which we see to create image in our mind. These things are moon, fire, flowers, and roots.
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