Reader-Respose - If You Forget Me ( Pablo Neruda)

I want you to know

one thing. 

You know how this is: 

if I look 

at the crystal moon, at the red branch 

of the slow autumn at my window, 

if I touch 

near the fire 

the impalpable ash 

or the wrinkled body of the log, 

everything carries me to you, 

as if everything that exists, 

aromas, light, metals, 

were little boats 

that sail 

toward those isles of yours that wait for me. 

Well, now, 

if little by little you stop loving me 

I shall stop loving you little by little. 

If suddenly 

you forget me 

do not look for me, 

for I shall already have forgotten you. 

If you think it long and mad, 

the wind of banners 

that passes through my life, 

and you decide 

to leave me at the shore 

of the heart where I have roots, 

remember 

that on that day, 

at that hour, 

I shall lift my arms 

and my roots will set off 

to seek another land. 

But 

if each day, 

each hour, 

you feel that you are destined for me 

with implacable sweetness, 

if each day a flower 

climbs up to your lips to seek me, 

ah my love, ah my own, 

in me all that fire is repeated, 

in me nothing is extinguished or forgotten, 

my love feeds on your love, beloved, 

and as long as you live it will be in your arms 

without leaving mine.

Analysis:

Reader-response criticism focuses primarily to the reader's reaction to the text. It depends upon the reader how he or she interpret a certain literary work. For me, this poems can be dedicated to everything you value or love. This poem talks about love and friendship. If someone does not love you, then its time to move on but if they do love you then we should hold on to them forever. That is the same with friends, if one of them is the only one putting effort for the friendship but the other inst doing anything then we should lift our arms and our roots will set off to seek another land. A land in which we are appreciated and loved, and we should hold on to those people forever.