In "Piedra de sol," love is the tippy-top of what humans can hope for. It's the way to defeat death, to unite with others, to battle against hypocrisy, and to get outside of time (and you thought it was all just hearts and flowers). Love is, in this poem, something that takes place between two people and that allows them to get outside of everyday life, with its wars and shops and meetings, and to become one with the universe.
Questions About Love
- What is the difference between love and desire in "Piedra de sol"? Is there a difference?
- The speaker remembers several different girls in several different places. Do you think their identities as individuals matters in the speaker's view of love? Or are all acts of love the same?
- Why did the lovers in Madrid in 1937 decide to take off their clothes and make love during the bombardment? Do you think it was the speaker and his beloved, or someone else?
- The speaker says that "love is to battle"—what do you think this means?
Chew on This
Try on an opinion or two, start a debate, or play the devil’s advocate.
In "Piedra de sol," love conquers all—even death.
Love is shallow, and the identity of the lover is meaningless in "Piedra de sol."