In the poem “If You Forget Me,” poet Pablo Neruda dramatizes the conflict between the poet’s passionate desire and unconditional love for a woman, and his stern attitude toward her if she doesn't reciprocate his affections By using elements of personification, imagery, and sentimentality, Neruda portrays love, compassion, and optimism. Although the poet expresses deep emotion for his love, he also acknowledges that love can be dangerous and refuses to be damaged.
To begin with, while explicating this poem, it was evident to make the assumption that the poet has experienced pain once or twice in his life. The author begins to describe his love for a woman that is so powerful, that it is evident that he would go above and beyond to satisfy her. Arguably, this poem could in fact pertain to the risk, and terror of making oneself available to love and to be loved, which by nature makes oneself vulnerable to incredible hurt and pain. This is the poet’s manifesto in the face of such terror, and he does it with authenticity, vulnerability, and authority. As analyzed by literary analyst Donald S. Walsh, “This [poem] is vintage Neruda, with all the passion and fickleness of desire. The underlying melancholy is beautifully brought out by the conversational style (a la Mir Taqi Mir) – the conceit would have been metaphysical had it not been for the pain inherent in every verse.” This is love that is hurting, that has been hurt in the past, and yet is open to being hurt again.
In the opening stanza of this poem, Neruda underlines his authority with a stern, passive statement: “I want you to know one thing” (1) this is an obvious attempt to warn the reader that Neruda is in charge of the future conflict. Proceeding to the following stanza, Neruda illustrates the beauty of nature and compares it to the beauty of love by using keen personification and visual imagery. Such as, “the wrinkled body of the log” (10) and “as if ev...