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I am posting this as a benchmark, not because I think I'm playing very well yet.  The idea would be post a video every month for a ye...

Monday, March 20, 2023

Neruda

 Limpia con este trapo

las fronteras,

los techos de los hombres, escarba

el oro

acumulado

y reparte

ios bienes

escondidos


I discovered long ago that Neruda's free verse is pretty scannable:


Limpia con este trapo las fronteras,  [11]

los techos de los hombres [7]

escarba el oro acumulado [9] 

y reparte los bienes escondidos [11]. 

The traditional combination of 11 and 7 goes back to Garcilaso. Modern poets mix in lines of 9 with that, which makes sense. The odd numbered lines usually have that binary rhythm.  



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