THE HEIGHTS OF MACCHU PICCHU

by Pablo Neruda ‧ RELEASE DATE: May 12, 1967

A long preface and analysis, and the poem in its original Spanish, accompany this fine translation of a somber, soaring affirmation of faith, by ""one of the greatest poets writing in Spanish today."" Like most explanations, the preface, though excellent, tends to diminish the poem by dissecting meanings from its strong emotional context. The translation is also excellent, and succeeds in conveying and sharpening the quality of the poetry, although it occasionally substitutes more highly-colored words (as ""occulted"" for ""invisible""). But these are incidentals. The poem itself is magnificently strong, as simple but splendid, as stripped in its language and rhythms, as what it describes. Man, lost in the cities, drowned in ""cold interstices of soul,"" climbs to the lost Inca City of Macchu Picchu, and, among the windswept and deserted stones, finds a vision of life, and a sense of the brotherhood of all transient mankind. It is written in the first person, and reflects some of Neruda's personal and political disillusions; but it is primarily a transcendent myth, a triumphant, sober cry of joy in life, in past and future, heightened by the superb, icily-remote and stripped landscape which inspired and also serves to describe its lofty vision. A rare experience.

Pub Date: May 12, 1967

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: -

Publisher: Farrar, Straus & Giroux

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 1967

Categories: NONFICTION