Analysis "I Remember you as you were" poetry.

I REMEMEBER YOU AS YOU WERE

I remember you as you were in the last autumn.

You are the grey beret and the still heart.

In your eyes the flames of the twilight fought on.

And the leaves fell in the water of your soul.

Clasping my arms like a climbing plant

the leaves garnered your voice, that was slow and at peace.

Bonfire of awe in which my thirst was burning.

Sweet blue hyacinth twisted over my soul.

I feel your eyes traveling, and the autumn is far off:

Grey beret, voice of a bird, heart like a house

Towards which my deep longings migrated

And my kisses fell, happy as embers

Sky from a ship. Field from the hills:

Your memory is made of light, of smoke, of a still pond!

Beyond your eyes, farther on, the evenings were blazing.

Dry autumn leaves revolved in your eyes.

By: Pablo Neruda 1904-1973

The elements of this poem are:

a)    Theme

·  Recall a moment in the past.

This poem describes a woman who was loved by the writer through a memory of his one autumn day. He does miss his sweet heart who has not staid besides him anymore. Even thought his sweet heart has gone far away, he feels that her always drawn around his mind. He wants to be together with her but his expectation has gone.

b)   Rhyme scheme (abcd, efgd, chij, fcgf)

c)    Symbolism

·         Blue Hyacinth, the writer depicts blue hyacinth as symbol for happiness.

·         Bonfire  is a symbol for love

d)   Figurative Language

No	Lines	Figurative Language	Explanation
1	In your eyes the flames of the twilight fought on. And the leaves fell in the water of your soul.	Metaphor	The writer compares two things that are twilight and the leave.
2	Clasping my arms like a climbing plant	Simile	The author uses like to compare two things that are Clasping my arms and climbing plant.
3	the leaves garnered your voice, that was slow and at peace.	Personification	In this line the author gives animate character to an inanimate. Garnered is usually done by animate but in this line the author writes that the leaves (inanimate) does something that is garnered.
4	Bonfire of awe in which my thirst was burning	Metaphor	The writer compares two things that are Bonfire of awe as love.
5	I feel your eyes traveling, and the autumn is far off:	Personification	In this line the author gives animate character to an inanimate. Travelling is usually done by human but in this line the author writes that eyes (inanimate) does something that is travelling.
6	Grey beret, voice of a bird, heart like a house	Simile	The author uses like to compare two things that are heart and a house.
7	And my kisses fell, happy as embers	Simile	The author uses as to compare two things that are happy such as embers.
8	Your memory is made of light, of smoke, of a still pond	Hyperbola	The author describes a memory is made of light, of smoke, of a still pond, but it is impossible if a memory is made by light, smoke and still pond.
9	Dry autumn leaves revolved in your eyes.	Personification	In this line the author gives animate character to an inanimate. Revolved is usually done by animate but in this line the author writes that leaves(inanimate) does something that is revolved.

e)      APPRECIATION

ü  The first stanza.

In this stanza the writer describes a woman whom he loved through a memory of his one autumn day who wears grey hat and whose heart is empty. The flames of twilight” for the leaves of autumn (the color of leaves resembles flames and autumn is the twilight of the seasons). This picture not only as a literal image he (the writer) recalls, but as a representation of the woman’s inner workings.

ü  The second stanza

In this stanza, the writer recalls a moment when he met his lover in the last time and the autumn leaves became the witness of their love. The bonfire of awe symbolizes his love and happiness has twisted his soul.

ü  The third stanza

In the third stanza is contrary with the second stanza, this stanza tells that their relationship is changed whereas the second stanza tells about their power of love. “ I feel your eyes travelling, and the autumn is far off:”  it means that his lover does not focus in their relationship, and the girls does not need him anymore. While the autumn is ending, their love ends.  Their relationship does not have happiness any more.

ü  The forth stanza

In the final stanza, the remnants of embers and smoke depict the result of something that had burnt the light of their love. The writer compares the fire as a supporter of the love balance in order to be still eternal. If a fire is too much, it will become dangerous in contrary if it too little it won’t work well. It also happened in love. In this poem, the balance of fire has gone because the love between a couple has ended. This can be shown in the quote “Your memory is made of light, of smoke, of a still pond”. The “smoke” here as a representation of his memory. The element of fire can be comparable to love life or real life. Although a fire has extinguished, it can be still felt. It also happened in love. Although a love has been lost, it can be still felt.