Transcription of Pablo Neruda’s Love Sonnet XVII
No doubt there have been times when you read a poem and thought I wish I had written that. The words seem so perfect already, but you can always try something a little different in the form of a transcription.
Music is another area where you may have heard of transcriptions. Leopold Stokowski did some amazing things with Bach’s work, writing them for an orchestra. In a similar way, we can write another poet’s piece in a different format.
Many of us have a great appreciation for Neruda’s work, especially his love sonnets. What I have done here is to take his Love Sonnet XVII and transcribe it into the Shakespearean sonnet form in English. It must be remembered that the resulting transcription is still the original poet’s work. You cannot claim all recognition, only the arrangement and perhaps a few editing decisions.
Love Sonnet XVII
I love you not as topaz, rose of salt,
Or arrow of carnations birthing fire.
I love you as of dark things, n'er my fault;
Kept secrets 'tween the shade and soul's desire.
I love you as the plant that doesn't bloom,
But carries light of flowers deep inside,
And with your love, there rose a sweet perfume,
From earth to live in me, and dark abide.
I love you without knowing, when or where,
I love you more, no pride or problem seen —
I know no other way to love and care,
Except this form, we both have never been.
So close your hand upon my chest is mine;
So close your eyes, close in my dreams divine.
Based on Pablo Neruda’s original work.
The truth is that there is nothing like the original. However, it is an enjoyable activity to write a transcription and attempt to keep the poet’s words and thoughts as close as possible to the original form.
Pablo Neruda's original:
No te amo como si fueras rosa de sal, topacio
o flecha de claveles que propagan el fuego:
te amo como se aman ciertas cosas oscuras,
secretamente, entre la sombra y el alma.
Te amo como la planta que no florece y lleva
dentro de sí, escondida, la luz de aquellas flores,
y gracias a tu amor vive oscuro en mi cuerpo
el apretado aroma que ascendió de la tierra.
Te amo sin saber cómo, ni cuándo, ni de dónde,
te amo directamente sin problemas ni orgullo:
así te amo porque no sé amar de otra manera,
sino así de este modo en que no soy ni eres,
tan cerca que tu mano sobre mi pecho es mía,
tan cerca que se cierran tus ojos con mi sueño.