One Hundred Love Sonnets: Cien sonetos de amor (English and Spanish Edition) Hardcover – January 15, 2014 by Pablo Neruda (Author), Stephen Tapscott (Translator) )(University of Texas Press)

"I love you as certain dark things are to be loved, in secret, between the shadow and the soul." ~ Pablo Neruda

100 Love Sonnets is a collection of poems lovingly translated by Stephen Topscott who seems to be able to capture the original meaning of the poems impeccably. This was first published in 1960 and expresses the love Pablo Neruda had for his wife, Matilde. It is difficult to read many of these poems only once, they seem to demand to be read twice to understand their full meaning.

What appears again and again in these poems is images of the sea, wheat/bread, blood, hair, birds, moon, fruits and fire. Pablo Neruda really connected with nature and expresses his love through these images.

Sometimes the stunning intimacy in these poems brings you close to tears. Pablo Neruda had such a complete understanding of what love meant. A few of the poems just gave me chills. I have never come across another poet who felt as deeply seduced by love as Neruda.

However, sometimes he gets a bit dramatic like when he says, "I will die of love because I love you." Well that is how love sometimes feels but it sounds so serious. A few of the poems are a bit erotic in a veiled way.

Mostly these poems just make you feel a happy sigh of elation. It was with great pleasure that I read this book, yet another great book of poems by Neruda. One sonnet even made me laugh.