Uncover the intense, layered life of Chile’s most famous poet. Known for his sensual love poems and fierce political voice, Neruda lived as boldly as he wrote—often in exile, always in love with the world.
Pablo Neruda
Pablo Neruda was a pen name—he was born Ricardo Eliecer Neftalí Reyes Basoalto and adopted his pseudonym to avoid family disapproval.
He began publishing poems at just 13 and won Chile’s top literary prize by age 20.
Neruda wrote his most famous book, Twenty Love Poems and a Song of Despair, when he was only 19.
He served as a diplomat in several countries, including Argentina, Spain, and France.
Neruda once escaped political persecution by riding horseback through the Andes in the middle of the night.
He won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1971, praised for his poetry’s emotional depth and public voice.
His home in Isla Negra was filled with collections of shells, bottles, and figureheads—each with a poetic story.
Neruda was a close friend of Salvador Allende and a vocal supporter of Chilean socialism.
Authorities briefly exiled him for his political beliefs, and he wrote some of his most powerful poetry while evading capture.
His house in Valparaíso had secret passages and quirky designs, reflecting his playful imagination.
Neruda wrote odes to everyday objects like onions, socks, and lemons—making the ordinary feel magical.
He married three times and wrote many poems inspired by his lovers and his lifelong obsession with love.
Many believe he was poisoned during Pinochet’s coup, though he officially died of cancer in 1973.
His funeral turned into a protest march, with thousands chanting his poems against the new dictatorship.
Translators have rendered Neruda’s words into dozens of languages, establishing him as one of the 20th century’s most widely read poets.
