Full Woman, Fleshly Apple, Hot Moon

Full Woman, Fleshly Apple, Hot Moon: Selected Poems of Pablo Neruda

Pablo Neruda, the Chilean poet who won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1971, is one of the most widely read and beloved poets of the twentieth century. His poetry ranges from passionate love poems to political verse and celebrations of the simplest things in life. Full Woman, Fleshly Apple, Hot Moon: Selected Poems of Pablo Neruda, translated by Stephen Mitchell, presents a selection of his work from his later years in a bilingual edition.

The collection draws largely on poems Neruda wrote in the second half of his career, including selections from his famous Elemental Odes, in which he wrote poems in praise of everyday objects and experiences, such as an onion, a tomato, a pair of socks, salt, a lemon, the sea and his own clothes. These odes, written in short, flowing lines, transform ordinary things into sources of wonder and joy, reflecting Neruda’s deep love for the material world and for ordinary people.

The selection also includes love poems, meditations on nature, the ocean, time and mortality, and reflections on Chile, its landscapes and its people. Throughout, Neruda’s voice is sensual, exuberant, playful and tender, filled with vivid images and a sense of celebration.

Mitchell, known for his translations of the Tao Te Ching, Rilke and other classics, renders the poems in clear, lively English, with the original Spanish texts printed alongside, allowing readers to appreciate both versions.

Full Woman, Fleshly Apple, Hot Moon is a delightful introduction to Neruda’s later poetry for English readers, a rewarding collection for poetry lovers and an excellent resource for students of Spanish and Latin American literature.