In ‘Oh Earth, wait for me’, Earth is not representing the planet itself, but as nature and how it impacts Neruda as his home, and where he belongs. The poem does not have a particular structure, and could be seen as free verse. It is clear to us, in the first stanza the shortened sentences are known for the importance; highlighting each line as a significant topic. In the last stanza, the sentences are longer; giving the impression of being more sentimental and having a softer rhythm. The poem is written in Neruda’s perception; making us understand his words are the thoughts and desire within his heart, and mind. “Return me, oh sun, to my wild destiny, rain of the ancient wood…” Sun, is seen as a perception of light and energy, but if looked deeper; the earth orbits around the sun. Once the sun comes from the horizon to start a new day, it symbolizes rebirth and happiness; representing how nature will bloom once more as a new beginning, or how human life will be born once again.
In the first stanza, the persona introduces nature as to be something of great importance within the earth. The way Neruda emphasizes “bring me back the aroma and the swords that fall from the sky…” is personifying the weather to be so powerful that not only is; touch the only sense that could be felt, but the “aroma” of the weather could be smelt, and nearly to taste. The “swords” are represented as rain, representing how the sharp droplets of water can be felt; leaving a great deal of impression on the persona.
After the lines of Neruda’s wishes, the listing of “the solitary peace of pasture and rock, the damp at the river-margins, the smell of the larch tree, the wind alive like a heart…beating in the crowded restlessness of the towering araucaria” emphasizes the different elements that each specific part of nature contains. The persona is also comparing nature itself as being alive, and daring enough; human. Despite the fact, nature is considered Alive, the metaphor “the wind alive like a heart” has the persona imagining nature “beating in the crowded restlessness…” This relates the structure of the Earth having a soul, a mind, and a body. Once again, emphasizing the importance of nature, which it manages to hold relation with a human form.
In the last stanza, “Earth, give me back your pure gifts, the towers of silence which rose from the solemnity of their roots” Neruda uses imagery to highlight the representation of his surroundings. Immediately, this line makes a visualization of the “towers of silence” and “solemnity of their roots” having a connection between trees. The stating of Earths’ gifts being “pure”, represents the idea of nature never being tainted with evil, and gives the persona a sense of tranquility and peace.
After exploring the development of nature, Neruda notifies us by saying how it doesn’t matter what humans are, or what they have become. “I could live or not live; it does not matter to be one stone more, the dark stone, the pure stone which the river bears away.” It informs us that it does not matter, because whatever the persona is, eventually they would pass away and their memories will be washed “…which the river bears away”. “I want to go back to being what I have not been, and learn to go back from such deeps that amongst all natural things”. Neruda implies about his views upon human life and nature. He believes that Nature has more values, where he would like to be part of the beauty of nature and earth, instead of people a human being.
By turning earth, as a symbol of nature and the beauty of it, Neruda presents us with a world where civilization is insignificant and only a hindrance to the power of non-artificial purity that lies within the society. It could be interoperated as the following, because Neruda has failed to mention civilization within the poem, and has spoken greatly of the environment, in where he fell in passion with. This poem would be contrasting between the peace of nature and the destruction of civilization, where Neruda can escape from the cruel reality of the society in which he is condemned in. The tranquility of nature is the one soul place for Neruda to have a change in perspective and longing for a place of harmony.