Take bread away from me, if you wish, take air away, but do not take from me your laughter.
Interpretation
Laughter is essential for happiness and connection, more so than material needs.
In this quote, Pablo Neruda emphasizes the profound importance of joy and laughter in life. He suggests that while physical necessities like food and air are vital for survival, the emotional sustenance provided by laughter and companionship is even more critical for a fulfilled life. This reflects the deep human need for connection, happiness, and the lightness that laughter brings to our existence.
In practice
Use this quote as a toast at a gathering to highlight the importance of joy in relationships.
Perhaps this war will pass like the others which divided us leaving us dead, killing us along with the killers but the shame of this time puts its burning fingers to our faces. Who will erase the ruthlessness hidden in innocent blood?
I want to see the thirst inside the syllables I want to touch the fire in the sound: I want to feel the darkness of the cry. I want words as rough as virgin rocks.β - Verb.
Only do not forget, if I wake up crying it's only because in my dream I'm a lost child hunting through the leaves of the night for your hands.
And here am I, budding among the ruins with only sorrow to bite on, as if weeping were a seed and I the earth's only furrow.
Once more I am the silent one who came out of the distance wrapped in cold rain and bells: I owe to earth's pure death the will to sprout.
I learned about life from life itself, love I learned in a single kiss and could teach no one anything except that I have lived with something in common among men.
So, fall asleep love, loved by me... for I know love, I am loved by thee.
Your task is not to seek for love, but merely to seek and find all the barriers within yourself that you have built against it.
O, a kiss_x000D_ _x000D_ Long as my exile, sweet as my revenge!_x000D_ _x000D_ Now, by the jealous queen of heaven, that kiss I carried from thee, dear, and my true lip_x000D_ _x000D_ Hath virgined it e'er since.
I hid my love when young till I_x000D_ Couldn't bear the buzzing of a fly;_x000D_ I hid my life to my despite_x000D_ Till I could not bear to look at light:_x000D_ I dare not gaze upon her face_x000D_ But left her memory in each place;_x000D_ Where'er I saw a wild flower lie_x000D_ I kissed and bade my love good-bye.
But no matter what love throws at you, you have to believe in it. You have ot believe in love stories and prince charmings and happily ever after. That's why I write these songs. Because I think love is FEARLESS.
What I write comes from a place of deep love, and a deep understanding of all kinds of otherness.
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