By Nidhi Mahendro

Pablo Neruda: Who was he? Where was he from? What was he known to do? These are some questions students wonder when we hear this name. During the course of this semester the University celebrates the culture, music, film, art and heritage of Hispanic Culture.

It is here where members of the University have learned about the Chilean poet Pablo Neruda. Pablo Neruda who’s real name was Neftali Ricardo was a famous South American poet. He was born in 1904 and died in 1973. Born in a town in Chile called Parral, his father was a railway employee and his mother was a teacher who died shortly after Neruda was born. Neruda’s father and him moved and later remarried.

It was here in this new town where he met a young woman named Gabriela Mistral who was the head of the girls’ secondary school. Gabriela took a brief liking to Neruda, and became his inspiration. He started writing poetry at the tender age of 13 years old when he submitted an article called Entusiasmo y Persevencia which later became his first poem. The later events of the Spanish Civil war influenced Neruda to write more poetry.

His experiences, the people throughout South America, the language, the culture all became strong influences in his poetry. One can feel the strength of the culture and the language when reading it. Pablo Neruda’s works have included poems in Spanish, several Prose, anthology pieces, a piece of drama work and poetry that has been translated into English. Aside from being a renowned poet, he was also a Nobel laureate, a communist and a lyricist of love. As 2004 marks the 100th anniversary of his birth, in the words of 1982 Nobel Peace Prize winner and author Gabriel Garcia Marquez, he was “the greatest poet of the twentieth century-in any language.”

On Oct. 18 a lecture was held in the Axinn library where several participants read a selection of poems from the great poet. It was introduced by Miguel-Angel Zapata, an associate professor of Spanish and director of the Hispanic Cultures Celebrations at the University. Introductions to the poets were by Maria Hernandez. Silvia Castillero, editor of Luvina, came from the University of Guadalajara in Mexico. Several other speakers included Mercedes Roffe, a poet of Argentina and Marita Troiano, a poet from Peru. The University was honored that these speakers came to present with some poetry selections from the great poet.

Although the majority of poems read were in Spanish, students and adults both young and old, sat and listened as the presenters were filled with emotion as they read. One could see the tears filled their eyes.

Many students who when asked about the lecture had this to say: “It was really heart-felt the way they read the poems, however they were all in Spanish. It would have been nice to have some translation.”

There were some who agreed as well and felt “it’s nice for our college to hold lectures based on other cultures. It gives us an insight on what’s out there. Someone as renowned as Pablo Neruda, whose work was well-known not only throughout Latin America but in other countries as well deserves to be celebrated.” Others who attended only attended for Spanish classes had no comment to say.

It was a brilliant experience for both young and old to enjoy and learn about other cultures. It brought about an understanding of what someone whose work was so greatly celebrated was truly about. Neruda’s work went deeper in showing the emotion that he felt as he traveled throughout Latin America and his love for his culture. Readers only hope that other writers and great figures in this world are equally celebrated as well.

Silvia Castillero, editor of Luvina, reads an excerpt from a poem of Pablo Neruda, who was the focus of Monday´s lecture. (Nidhi Mahemdro/The Chronicle)