The Collected Poems of Octavio Paz, 1957-1987: Bilingual Edition

What is essential about this book is that each poem comes with the bilingual translation in English and accompanied by the original works in Spanish. Two years of high school Spanish, as well as two years in college, has rendered me with a woefully inadequate ineptitude of all words and understanding of that language. But I don't think that the translation can ever capture the sound, the alliteration, the true tongue/la lingua and fluid language that Paz meant in his original Spanish. Even if I don't understand a lick of what's on the left side of the page in Spanish at least it can be read for it's beautiful sound. Listen to this, "Through the conduits of bone I night I water I forest that moves forward I tongue I body I sun-bone Through the conduits of night" and then on the even-numbered page, "Por el arcaduz de hueso yo noche yo agua yo bosque que avanza yo lengua yo cuerpo yo hueso de sol Por el arcaduz de noche."

What are you doing still sitting here reading my crappy writing when you could be reading Ocatavio Paz? Go get the book...you'll see.


Obra poetica.   May 4, 2001
leonel rs (Ciudad de Mexico.)
3 out of 5 found this review helpful

Example 1: "Un cuerpo, un cuerpo solo, solo un cuerpo,/un cuerpo como dia derramado/y noche devorada". Example 2: "Lates entre la sombra/blanca y desnuda: rio." Octavio Paz is one of the first voices of the xxth century mexican poetry. He is the most important blend between clasicism and the modern trends in poetical expresion. He lived in France and thus, he experienced surrealism and mingled with the likes of Breton, Eluard, et al. In Mexico he estimulated the literary critic and reviews to new standars of excelence. Read O. Paz.


Elegant   April 20, 2001
Robertomelbourne (Melbourne, Australia)
4 out of 4 found this review helpful

Paz' poetry is sublime, and elegant. The words and ideas simply slip off the page. Its like taking a bath in chocolate.

Paz consistently suprises the reader with new ideas, form, language. Paz creates an atmosphere that is soothing, and enchanting. I would highly recommend this work.