I bought Pablo Neruda’s “Odes to Common Things” about 8 years ago because I was starting to learn Spanish (this book is dual language – Spanish and English), was in a poetry reading and writing phase, I had heard he was a Nobel Prize winner and because of the sheer originality of the concept of writing poems about things like a chair or a pair of socks.

Every once in a while I open it, as I did a few days ago when looking for inspiration to write a poem about a stapler. And every time I read a few of these poems, I gain a renewed appreciation for the power of words – how words can add new beauty and dimension to even the simplest and most common of things.

Table of Contents
The subjects of Nerudas odes are as follows: Things, The Table, The Chair, The Bed, The Guitar, A Violin in California, The Dog, The Cat, Some Yellow Flowers, A Cluster of Violets, The Gillyflower, A Bar of Soap, A Pair of Socks, The Dictionary, A Pair of Scissors, A Box of Tea, The Spoon, The Plate, The Orange, The Apple, Bread, The Artichoke, The Onion, The Tomato, and to French Fries.

In Neruda’s introductory poem, “Ode to Things,” he explains his reason for writing these poems. He begins this poem saying:

I have a crazy,
crazy love of things.
I like pliers,
and scissors.
I love
cups,
rings,
and bowls –
not to speak, of course,
of hats.
I love
all things,…

And ends the poem with:

Not only did they touch me,
or my hand touched them:
they were
so close
that they were a part of my being,
they were so alive with me
that they lived half my death.

The poems that follow don’t simply describe each “common thing” in pretty words, but use imaginative metaphor, personal context of joy and pain, and even some humor…as in his “Ode to the dog”:

The dog is asking me a question
and I have no answer.
He dashes through the countryside and asks me
wordlessly,
and his eyes
are two moist question marks, two wet
inquiring flames,
but I do not answer.
I have nothing to say….

Animal lovers will easily relate to the subtleties of the animal poems and “foodies,” like me, will especially enjoy the celebration of things like onions, tomatoes and bread. Each poem conjures up your own personal associations and appreciations with these everyday things that fill our senses and even our hearts.

Dual Language / Using the book as a language learning tool:
Because this is poetry, many words and phrases are not translated literally to English in order to convey the ideas and rhythms of the original poems in Spanish. Beginning students of Spanish may enjoy this book as a supplement to formal instruction. However, if you are at an intermediate level, you will gain a better understanding and appreciation of the Spanish language. Visa versa, Spanish speakers who are English language learners may use this book to supplement their English studies.

I think what appeals to me most about these poems is their simplicity and unpretentiousness. Even if you are not a “poetry lover” (which sounds so pretentious anyway), you may find that you like these poems about these common things that are universal and a part of our lives.

Author: Pablo Neruda (1904-1973)
Hardcover: 152 pages
Publisher: Bulfinch; Bilingual edition (May 1, 1994)

Recommended: Yes