IF You Forget Me

-Pablo Neruda

The poem ‘If You Forget Me’ is one of the poems by Pablo Neruda. He is considered one of the famous
poets of all time. This piece centers the relationship that the speaker has with his home country. It
shows the love and hate relationship that the persona is experiencing amidst the individual conflicts
he is experiencing. As the poem progresses further, it demonstrates the willingness of the speaker to
go back to his roots and sharing the lessons and experiences of his past. Based from all these points, it
is through Neruda’s powerful use of the language alongside the capability to take advantage of
literary devices that he is able to transcend and create a deeper significance and meaning to
audiences.

One of the important themes depicted by the piece is the emotional state of the speaker in the poem.
The thing that stands out is the feelings of longing and desire to be with something or someone. By
closely looking at the context of when the poem was written, it can be seen that Neruda wrote this
piece during his exile from his native country in Chile. Specifically, it emphasized how despite feeling
betrayed, the speaker continues to feel loyal and devoted to the cause of his country (BeamingNotes
1). As the persona eventually returns to his homeland, it continues to rekindle the memories of the
past and would greatly define who he is as a person. Seeing this, it is through Neruda’s mastery of
words and effective use of literary devices that he is able to transcend this meaning to audiences.

Given the poem’s tone pertaining to the speaker’s exile in another place, another important theme
that can be surmised in the piece corresponds to nationalism. Arguably, the poem describes how the
author is longing to get back to his homeland. The line that says, “in me nothing is extinguished or
forgotten | my love feeds on your love, beloved” (Neruda 1) describes the relationship that the
speaker has to his home country. It may be true that he felt bad about being exiled however the
emotions and love for his birthplace remains to be stronger. As the poem tries to develop specific
connections surrounding the emotions of the speaker, readers are then able to comprehend the love
and relationship Neruda has with his home.

In relation to literary devices, there are also numerous instances where Neruda utilized these
techniques in the poem. Imagery is a style that is evident in the piece. Through the use of appropriate
words, he is able to provide a deeper meaning to the message the speaker seeks to impart to readers
(Fernandez 1). Another literary device that can be seen is how Neruda uses personification in the
poem. Here, the speaker tries to associate human-like characteristics to objects. For example, the line
where Neruda says “or the wrinkled body of the log” (1) is one example to show personification.
Other devices that can be seen in the poem include repetition and symbolisms. Altogether, the choice
of Neruda to incorporate this in the poem brings forward a better way to engage and capture readers
attention.

Overall, ‘If You Forget Me’ is a poem that describes the emotional state of a man exiled in another
land. This piece remains to be a reflection of Neruda’s experience during his time away from Chile. It is
through this piece that he is able to establish his complicated relationship with his homeland. Like a
romantic relationship, it demonstrates a period of love and hate that is strengthened with the use of
literary devices such as imagery, personification and symbolisms. In the end, after all the feelings of
resentment, the speaker continues realizes his continued love and devotion to the land that cultivated
his identity and ideals in life.