Chilean poet Pablo Neruda was born on this day (July 12) in 1904. Apart from being a poet, he was also a diplomat and a politician. He received the prestigious Nobel Prize for Literature in 1971. He died on September 23, 1973.

Neruda's real name is Neftali Ricardo Reyes Basolto. Pablo, who started writing poetry at the age of 13, is considered the greatest poet of the 20th century in Latin America. During the winter after World War II, he wrote revolutionary poetry against imperialism, foreign intervention and anti-humanitarian dictatorship. 

Born in a normal family, Pablo had to live in exile for many years because he wrote poetry against the dictatorial ruler. Pablo's books like 'Twenty Love Poems and a Song of Despair', 'Canto General', 'Memories', 'The Poetry of Pablo Neruda', 'Residence on Earth' have been published.