Mitchell, widely known for his original and definitive translations of spiritual writings and poetry, has taken the work of Neruda (1904-1973), whose poems are passionate, humorous and exceptionally accessible, and brought them to life for a whole new generation of readers. Mitchell has selected nearly 50 poems for this collection, which focuses on Neruda's mature period, beginning with Elemental Odes, published when he was 50 years old, and ending with "Full Powers, " published when he was 58. The volume is bilingual, with Neruda's original Spanish text facing Mitchell's English translation.
Excerpt from "Full Woman, Fleshly Apple, Hot Moon":
Full woman, fleshly apple, hot moon,
thick smell of seaweed, crushed mud and light,
what obscure brilliance opens between your columns?
What ancient night does a man touch with his senses?
Loving is a journey with water and with stars,
with smothered air and abrupt storms of flour:
Loving is a clash of lightning-bolts
and two bodies defeated by a single drop of honey.
