Fully Empowered: A Bilingual Edition

"Fully Empowered" is an outstanding volume of poetry by Pablo Neruda of Chile. The book has been translated into English by Alastair Reid, and is presented in a bilingual format, with the Spanish originals and English versions on facing pages.Overall, I found Neruda's voice in this book to echo that of United States poet Walt Whitman (who could be seen as one of Neruda's 19th century poetic "ancestors"). Neruda's attentive poetic eye looks at both humanity and nature with reverence and compassion. His voice is often very tender. Like Whitman did in his work, Neruda often writes in the first person in this book.Some of the most memorable selections in this book include "To Don Asterio Alarcon, Clocksmith of Valparaiso," in which Neruda finds dignity and transcendence in the work of the title figure; "Thistle," in which he celebrates "the blue thistle of Chile"; and "The People," a passionate tribute to all the working people of the world.In "Summary," Neruda writes, ". . . my life was always / singing its way between joy and obligation." "Fully Empowered" marvelously embodies both Neruda's sense of moral duty and the joy that proceeds from his life's work.

This bilingual collection of Nerudas poetry is an outstanding selection. Neruda is the great one of Latin American poetry. New Directions has for years provided us with quality bilingual collections of great world poets. Plenos Poderes (Fully Empowered) is another classic. Neruda continuously made impassioned pleas for his people. He was a great lover of his land and his people. He was a true revolutionary poet in the vein of Lorca. This collection was published in 1962 (nine years before he was justly awarded the Nobel Prize.) Here Neruda states his mission in a poem like The Poets Obligation: He will give voice to those who have no voice. He will speak for the downtrodden. The imagery of the sea is scintillating. The poem Fully Empowered also backs this stand. But amid the political stuff there are some beautiful lyric poems as well. To Sorrow is a gorgeous poem. Short pieces like It is Born reflect a deeply sensitive poet. This is classic Neruda. Viva Pablo Neruda!