Editing Luis Cernuda (section)

====Variaciones sobre tema mexicano (1950)====
The first piece in this book is called "La lengua". Since his departure from Spain in February 1938, although he had been in contact with many Hispanic people, he had missed the sense of being surrounded by his native language. His visit to Mexico in the summer of 1949, the feeling of being in a Hispanic culture, the temperament of the people, the hot sun all seem to have kick-started his inspiration. These prose poems and his next collection of poetry, ''Con las horas contadas'', are the result.<ref name="Villena introduction38">Villena intro to edition of Las Nubes p 38</ref> He wrote these pieces in the course of 1950, once he was back at Mount Holyoke, and the collection was published in 1952. He sets the general theme in an introduction by discussing the lack of interest in Mexico shown by writers from peninsular Spain. As a child, he had no curiosity about the country. His curiosity was sparked by chance after his arrival in America. Curiosity turned into interest, which developed into love and this love is explored in these pieces.<ref name="Poesía completa622">Luis Cernuda: Poesía completa p622</ref> This is one of the sunniest, in all senses, of Cernuda's collections. Gone is the sad introspection of ''Ocnos''. In "Miravalle", he is enchanted by the viceroy's palace. If he were allowed to stay, he cannot imagine that he could tire of it or want to move elsewhere. In "Lo nuestro", the sight of native children begging reminds him of his homeland. His initial impulse is to return to the USA but, on further reflection, he comes to realise that this country is alive, in spite of its poverty. He reflects that perhaps poverty is the price you pay for being so alive. The USA seems vacuous and trivial in comparison. In "El mirador, he describes how the landscape, so similar to Spain, is taking control of him, exerting a spell over him, like it must have done over the conquistadors. "Perdiendo el tiempo" depicts a scene of indolent sensuality. "Ocio" is a reflection on the necessity of idleness. In "El patio", he feels as if he is back in the Seville of his childhood. He has finally managed to recover it. In "La posesión", he describes his urge to fuse with the land. In "Centro del hombre", he observes that the feeling of being a stranger, which had been a constant in his years of exile, has gone. He had been living with his body in one place and his soul in another. Now they are reunited:<blockquote> con todo o con casi todo concordabas, y las cosas, aire, luz, paisaje, criaturas, te eran amigas.{{cn|date=October 2022}}{{original research inline|date=October 2022}}

(you agreed with everything or almost everything, and things, air, light, landscape, creatures, were friends with you.)</blockquote>

However, these moments of harmony and union can only be fleeting - perfect shimmering moments, each of which is like a pearl between its two valves.<ref name="Taylor18" /> On the plane back to the USA, he had to hide his tears and keep his feelings private. He then comments that this would add to the legend that has been created of his being dry and cold-hearted.