When everything seems to be set to show me off as intelligent, the fool I always keep hidden takes over all that I say.
Interpretation
This quote reflects the internal conflict between intelligence and foolishness within a person.
Pablo Neruda's quote reveals the struggle between one's public persona and the private self. It suggests that even when we strive to appear intelligent or wise, there exists a part of us—often hidden—that can undermine this facade, leading us to say or do foolish things. This duality highlights the complexity of human nature and the tension between our aspirations and our more vulnerable aspects.
In practice
In a speech about the complexity of human nature, I might quote this to illustrate that everyone has both wisdom and folly within them.
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.” - 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.
Truth is the ultimate power. When the truth comes around, all the lies have to run and hide.
There is no greater index of character so sure as the voice.
Long experience has taught me this about the status of mankind with regard to matters requiring thought: the less people know and understand about them, the more positively they attempt to argue concerning them, while on the other hand to know and understand a multitude of things renders men cautious in passing judgment upon anything new.
Wait for the idea. It may not come at first, but you must be patient, never doubting, waiting in faith. It will come.
You just kind of have faith. If that sounds kind of mystical, it's because I really don't know how it works, but I trust that it does. I try to write the way I read, in order to find out what happens next.
Over the years I have discovered that ideas come through an intense desire for them; continually desiring, the mind becomes a watchtower on the lookout for incidents that may excite the imagination.
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