Pablo Neruda

When I came to Chile in 1989, my good friend (and employer, and mentor and teacher) June Jordan impressed upon me that I must read the works of Pablo Neruda and investigate his presence in Chile. At that time, Neruda was a thorn in the side of the dictatorship. Long dead (he passed in 73, not long after the coup) his work lived on in the minds and hearts of chilean but his association with the Communist Party made him poeta non grata. When I lived in Chile in 89 it was impossible to buy any of his works that had political content. This included his memoirs. It was published in other countries with a different cover. He had three houses full of art and books and objects he had collected from all over the world. I was able to visit his house in Isla Negra because I had befriended a woman who knew him. At that time, the other two were not open. When I was in Chile 5 years ago, we went to Sebastiana in Valparaiso. For this trip, my friends Jorge and Pedro wanted me to see all three. So, yesterday Jorge and I went to Isla Negra and then to Valparaiso. SO EXCITING! We got to see and tour both houses, with all the multitudes. I begged to see the third today so we went. It is called the Chascona and is in a neighborhood called Bellavsista. I suppose I should explain that there is a foundation that manages all of this. Honestly, it is so fantastic to imagine his life by looking at his houses. He had so many interesting collections: Books, bottles, butterflies, shells, masks, maps. He had a deep fascination with the sea, and this was reflected in his collections. One of my favorite books is his memoir. It is called "Memorias." If you read it, you will love it!