Tell Me, Is the Rose Naked?

Tell Me, Is the Rose Naked? - meaning Summary

Everyday Objects as Mournful Witnesses

Neruda’s short lyric poses a series of simple, childlike questions about commonplace things — a rose, trees, an automobile, a train — and treats them as vulnerable, secretive, or mournful. The poem explores the gap between surface appearance and hidden reality and registers sympathy for objects exposed to weather and solitude. Its tone mixes wonder and sadness, inviting readers to see objects as witnesses to loss and to question human attention and care.