If you forget me - Pablo Neruda

  If You Forget Me - Pablo Neruda

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 Introduction :

    This poem by Pablo Neruda, likely the speaker, warns his sweetheart of the consequences of forgetting him while he is abroad. Neruda begins the poem with a beautiful image of his beloved, reminding her of his love. His tone changes midway through the poem, warning her that if she stops loving him, he will too. In the final verse, the speaker reminds his sweetheart that if she never forgets him and keeps loving him, he will always adore her. The poem shows how deep and fickle man-woman love is.

Summary :

 The poem titled "If You Forget Me" consists of six stanzas that vary in length. The poem exhibits the characteristics of free poetry, as the lines lack punctuation.  

Stanzas One and Two :

"I want you to know one thing.  

You know how this is:

if I look 

at the crystal moon, at the red branch" 

 It is noteworthy because the initial stanza, consisting of a single line, states, "I want you to know one thing," which appears to be a continuation of the title. Hence, it might be interpreted as a solitary idea:  

"In the event that you disregard me, 

I desire for you to be aware of one particular thing."

     Interpreting the poetry in this manner imparts a menacing atmosphere to the piece. In the second verse, Neruda abruptly shifts the tone as he boldly expresses the profoundness of his love to his lover, beginning with the line, "You know how this is." The diction employed by Neruda in this verse is notably exquisite, as evidenced by the reference to the "crystal moon" and "red branch" in line 5. He summons his visual and tactile faculties, assuring his beloved that each sight or sensation he encounters will inevitably lead him back to her.

"as if everything that exists,

aromas, light, metals,

were little boats

that sail

toward those Isles of yours that wait for me" 

Stanza Three and Four :

    The initial portion of the poem has a pronounced romantic and admiring tone, however the subsequent third and fourth stanzas present a contrasting portrayal, functioning as a cautionary message directed towards Neruda's mistress. The third verse serves as a standalone warning to Neruda's sweetheart, admonishing him that if she ceases to love him, he will reciprocate in kind. Furthermore, it initiates the initial in a series of ultimatums that Neruda presents to his beloved.

"If you forget me 

do not look for me,

for I shall already forgotten you." 

    In the fourth stanza, the speaker reiterates the idea that if he is forgotten, his sweetheart will also be forgotten. To further underscore this notion, Neruda selectively incorporates a singular thought throughout the poem. The phrase employed by Neruda in the final line, "I shall already have forgotten you," is a noteworthy observation. He informs his sweetheart that in the event of her abrupt forgetfulness, he desires for her to be aware that he was the one who initially forgot—it has already occurred. He values her awareness that she was the first to be forgotten.

Stanza five :

"If you think it long and mad,

the wind of banners

that passes through my life,

and you decide"

    In the fifth verse, he reiterates his cautionary message to his lover, stating that if she chooses to abandon him at the shore, he will promptly seek an alternative destination. Neruda used an elaborate metaphor of a coastline and its land in this poem to caution his sweetheart about the repercussions of her deeds. The speaker regards his sweetheart as his abode, nevertheless, if she chooses to depart, he will readily pursue another lady to occupy her position.

Stanza Six : 

"But 

If each day,

each hour,

you feel that you are destined for me"

    In the concluding stanza of 'If You Forget Me', Neruda undergoes a shift in tone, reverting back to the initial stanza's amorous and passionate tone. The initial line of the final stanza consists of a solitary word, namely "But." This conveys to the reader the notion that the preceding stanzas have been establishing the context for the concluding one.

    The speaker appears to be expressing to his beloved that if he does any of these actions, he would reciprocate, but if he fails to do so, the consequences will unfold. The concluding lines of the final stanza disclose the outcome that will occur if the lover fails to forget him. If, conversely, she experiences a sense of "...that you are fated for me," this sentiment will be reciprocated.  

     In the final line, Neruda draws a parallel between his affection for his mistress with a fire, signifying that it derives sustenance from the affection his mistress harbors for him. Consequently, the cessation of this affection necessitates the demise of her love. The speaker concludes by making a solemn promise that the affection they possess for one another will be nurtured and protected within their embrace, as long as his mistress remains alive.

"my love feeds on your love,beloved,

and as long as you love,beloved,

and as long as you love it will be in your arms

without leaving mine."  

Conclusion : 

    The poem is one of the most popular love poems in literature, and Neruda, who won the 1971 Nobel Prize for Literature, is considered one of the finest poets of the 20th century.In the final verse, the speaker reminds his sweetheart that if she never forgets him and keeps loving him, he will always adore her. The poem shows how deep and fickle man-woman love is.

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