Ode To Salt Poem by Pablo Neruda

Ode To Salt

Rating: 2.9


This salt
in the salt cellar
I once saw in the salt mines.
I know
you won't
believe me
but
it sings
salt sings, the skin
of the salt mines
sings
with a mouth smothered
by the earth.
I shivered in those
solitudes
when I heard
the voice
of
the salt
in the desert.
Near Antofagasta
the nitrous
pampa
resounds:
a
broken
voice,
a mournful
song.

In its caves
the salt moans, mountain
of buried light,
translucent cathedral,
crystal of the sea, oblivion
of the waves.
And then on every table
in the world,
salt,
we see your piquant
powder
sprinkling
vital light
upon
our food.
Preserver
of the ancient
holds of ships,
discoverer
on
the high seas,
earliest
sailor
of the unknown, shifting
byways of the foam.
Dust of the sea, in you
the tongue receives a kiss
from ocean night:
taste imparts to every seasoned
dish your ocean essence;
the smallest,
miniature
wave from the saltcellar
reveals to us
more than domestic whiteness;
in it, we taste infinitude.

COMMENTS OF THE POEM
Dr Dillip K Swain 04 September 2022

A fabulous ode to salt. A little thing but everyone consumes it. Beautifully composed. Top score.

0 0 Reply
Brian Jani 27 April 2014

Awesome I like this poem, check mine out 

7 34 Reply
Kt Allen 07 November 2006

Yes- Do u like salt? Interesting poem - well written kt

11 8 Reply
John Tiong Chunghoo 03 July 2006

yes it is so true.

9 8 Reply
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