I Like For You To Be Still – Pablo Neruda

~ Suzy Hazelwood

I_wandered_lonely_as_a_cloud_by_chat_lunatique-deviantart

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I like for you to be still
It is as though you are absent
And you hear me from far away
And my voice does not touch you
It seems as though your eyes had flown away
And it seems that a kiss had sealed your mouth
As all things are filled with my soul
You emerge from the things
Filled with my soul
You are like my soul
A butterfly of dream
And you are like the word: Melancholy

I like for you to be still
And you seem far away
It sounds as though you are lamenting
A butterfly cooing like a dove
And you hear me from far away
And my voice does not reach you
Let me come to be still in your silence
And let me talk to you with your silence
That is bright as a lamp
Simple, as a ring
You are like the night
With its stillness and constellations
Your silence is that of a star
As remote and candid

I like for you to be still
It is as though you are absent
Distant and full of sorrow
So you would’ve died
One word then, One smile is enough
And I’m happy;
Happy that it’s not true
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This audio poem can be found on my Tumblr Blog.
And also another version with music by Diana Love on SoundCloud.

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Pablo-Neruda

Pablo Neruda
Read more of his poetry
.Picture: I wandered lonely as a cloud – Deviantart

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56 thoughts on “I Like For You To Be Still – Pablo Neruda”

  1. Pingback: The Secret Formula | labyrinthine

    1. Thank you so much for finding this – it’s been here a while now! I replaced the video recently with one I made myself in order to update the post (but not my voice of course!) Glenn Close has a wonderful reading voice – perfect for spoken word. I’d love to hear a lot more of her reading poetry – so soothing! 🙂

  3. Hi Suzy, Beautiful poem! Many thanks too for stopping by my site and ‘liking’ my Delmore Schwartz post. Enjoyed your site.

  4. I like what Neruda says about the constellations and the object of his affection being remote like a star. Sometimes though we see stars as warm and bright, he eludes to a more “colder” star. Poor guy just wants one word to let him know… –Robin

    1. It’s quite an awesome poem this, I never really tire of hearing it read. Thank you for reading, glad you you enjoyed it and saw some deeper meaning there! 🙂

    1. Very glad to hear you enjoyed the reading of this! 🙂 Glenn Close does have an ideal voice for reading poetry – I do love that reading myself. And Pablo Neruda was always so elegant with words.

      No worries, I do that a lot myself, especially recently. Been spelling words weirdly and using the wrong ones. I put it down to tiredness – but maybe there’s something going round!! 😉

  7. Pablo Beruda’s poetry is always wonderful, and to hear this read by Glenn Close was just perfect, really loved it.
    Thank you for your like on my blog.

  10. Love Neruda’s work, but did not know this one, but loved it, and the reading was wonderful too, I always studied for hours on my own(enjoying it) and enjoying the stillness, and am still into books, as I run a charity bookshop, when I’m not blogging! Best wishes and blessings Charles.

    1. Oh yes, Glen Close does a silky smooth performance in reading this, compliments his poetry very well! I only discovered Pablo Neruda just over a year ago, I love his style, it’s very elegant.

      Some people enjoy stillness and others hate it. But it’s good that we’re not all the same. Charity book shop? That sounds interesting – no shortage of anything to read! 🙂

      1. No shortage at all, I run a shop or Help the Rural Child, which helps educate poor farm children and lift them out of poverty. Having been a librarian for 21 years, and a poet for much longer, I have been reading Neruda for a long time. The work is very interesting but very physical, moving boxes of books all the time, but very rewarding. Best wishes and blessings, Charles.

    1. Glad you like it! 🙂 It is very beautiful and I thought unusual too. Glen Close really reads that in such a perfect way, I’d love to be able to do some spoken word poetry the way she does with this one, so dreamy and relaxing! 🙂

    1. Thank you! Yes it is quite beautiful – a favourite poet of mine! And the reading by Glenn Close is sooo good, makes it all the more special for me! 🙂

    1. Another award?!! Thank you, that’s really kind of you! 🙂 Ah yes, Mr Neruda he’s one of my favourites too, really wonderful writer!

    1. Now that’s really strange – I was just looking at this about 20 minutes before you made a comment!! 😀 It is a beautiful poem and read so well by Glenn Close too, I think that makes it extra special for me! I’d never heard of Pablo Neruda before I found this poem, obviously other people are more informed because I get Google searches leading to this post nearly every day now according to the WordPress info in my site stats, and also for Charles Bukowski too. I love their poems anyway, but they have become a very useful draw for the blog being found! So glad you found it and enjoyed it too, I must do some more of his! 😀

      1. Yes indeed that is weird!! You are doing an awesome job!! But I did enjoy the poem. Honestly, this is my first time reading a poem by Glenn Close. I have to get more informed. Thank you, because you have introduced me to his beautiful work. 🙂 🙂

    1. Oh – that’s good! You’ve come a long way down to read this – thank you! Did you hear the reading by Glenn Close? Her voice is quite beautiful! I used to have a You Tube video on here when I first posted this, but it was removed! 😦 I managed to get hold of copy of the recording, so I uploaded it to my Tumblr blog – not the best solution, but the best I could do for now!

      Sorry I forgot to reply to your comment! I’m getting very unprofessional these days, yours is the third one I’ve found today unanswered!! 😯

      1. No worries! I love when I check for unread notifications and it’s time to go bowling. 🙂 Glenn Close is amazing. I’m working my way down your archives, a bit at a time. So many good posts, so little time!

    1. I’m not the only one who hasn’t heard of it before – that’s a relief!! I’m glad it touched you in a profound way – profound is always good! 😀

  21. Oh this is really beautiful. And so beautifully read too.

    I would love to be able to read like she does; dont think its going to happen; its one thing I can’t seem to do at all ŵell, reading poetry, especially my own! I guess at least practice will improve it 🙂

    1. It is lovely, Glenn Close reads this in such a stunning and perfect way – I was so pleased when I discovered it on You Tube! She has a voice that would sell chocolate by the millions! But with her wonderful reputation as an actress, it would have to be an amazing chocolate – something expensive I think!! 🙂

      I have been thinking of recording myself reading some poems and maybe even a short story. But like you, I’ve felt a little uncomfortable reading my own, and it just doesn’t sound very good. It’s a silly thing, insecurity I guess at hearing your own work come from your own voice. But I think I need to just give my self a gentle slap, and get over it really! 😀

    1. I’m so slow at knowing these classic poets – I’d never heard of him before! It comes from my intense dislike for most classic poetry when I was a teenager, just couldn’t relate to it at all. But I’m catching up now – and loving so many I find! 🙂

      Haven’t given a great deal of thought to the recording of my voice lately, my mind has been busy with other things. But I certainly haven’t completely forgotten. As you know, I’m a little slow on a lot of things – like getting on the internet to start with! But when I catch up, I catch up fast!! 😀

      1. I was always a hermit as teenager and spent most of my days at the library. We had a huge one in the city I used to live in so I had all these classic books and poetry at my disposal ^_^ I’m glad you are giving them a chance now. I think you would enjoy many of them; they were all deep thinkers. 😀

        Hahaha yes, you are quite the catcher upper. Such a sharp mind. 😉

        1. Oh – living in a library – that sounds wonderful, and something I should have done at that age!

          Mind not so sharp everyday – but I keep sharpening it!! 😀

    1. Yes it can be, depends on the people involved I think. Some people like quiet and calm, and not much talking. But when you have one that likes to speak, and one that doesn’t, it can be a lonely experience for the one who likes to talk. A truly painful mismatch I suppose! 🙂

    1. I’d never heard of Pablo Neruda before I found this wonderful spoken video! And it is wonderful reading it too. I’m really glad you love this!! 😀

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