When I was about 11, I found an old book of poems on my dad’s bookshelf. In this book, was the poem “Your Laughter” by Chilean poet Pablo Neruda. I read this poem over and over, until I could recite it by heart. Although the more profound meaning did not reach me until later in life, this poem satisfied some unnamable part of me each time I read it. Neruda’s literature has this effect on thousands across the globe. His poems vary greatly in style, as well as content. They all have deep, thoughtful meanings, due to the circumstances in which they were written. His work earned him recognition during his life, and influenced many future poets. Pablo Neruda and his literature, had a lasting effect on the world. Pablo Neruda, born Neftalí Ricardo Reyes Basoalto, wrote hundreds of poems throughout his lifetime. They ranged from love poems to political poems. No matter what the topic was, all of his poetry portrays passion, talent and a distinct style. He often used imagery to poetically get his messages across. Neruda’s earliest works were commonly sonnets about love, however, later in his life his work focused more on politics. He used poetry to express his political opinions, and try to inspire the people to make changes. Pablo Neruda…show more content… What he saw as a corrupted government, drove him to become a strongly opinionated Communist. Pieces like “Spain in My Heart” and “Canto General” are great representations of his political views, as well as his support for the Spanish Republic. These specific works morphed him into a well-known political figure, who later was nominated as a candidate for the 1969 election for Chilean president. During his acceptance speech, he said “I have never thought of my life as divided between poetry and politics,” . This shows that he knew his poetry is what prompted his involvement with politics. Without Pablo Neruda, things in Chile may have not played out like they