Twenty Love Poems and a Song of Despair

When it first appeared in 1924, Veinte poemas de amor y una canción desesperada launched a young and unknown poet, whose work would ignite a generation, into the international spotlight. Drawn from the most intimate and personal of associations, Pablo Neruda's most beloved collection of poetry juxtaposes the exuberance of youthful passion with the desolation of grief, the sensuality of the body with the metaphorical nuances of nature. Eighty years after its publication, Veinte poemas de amor y una canción desesperada stands as an essential collection that continues to inspire lovers and poets around the world.