They may mow down all the flowers, but they can't stop spring.

Podrán cortar todas las flores, pero no podrán detener la primavera.

Original text (Spanish)

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Notes from Wikiquote

This line has been attributed to Neruda since the 1990s, but it is not in any of his published work. It appears to be a common saying in popular songs. Here is a citation from 1987 "Los grupos organizadores difundieron sus mensajes en pequeñas cuartillas y también en banderolas : 'Podrán cortar una flor arrancar muchas flores pero no podrán detener la primavera' de la Biblioteca Popular Tahuantinsuyo." Instituto de Defensa Legal (Lima, Peru). La Red. Lima, Perú: Instituto de Defensa Legal, 1987 at Hathi Trust and one from 1989 "o nuestros líderes populares . . . según se dice que podrán cortar las rosas pero no podrán detener la primavera" Taller Cultural "El Cueche.". (1989). Quinde: revista del Taller Cultural "El Cueche". Colombia. Issue 1 Page 38 at Hathi Trust

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Quote text and notes from Wikiquote: Pablo Neruda (page history), available under CC BY-SA 4.0. Source quality and labels are our own summary of what Wikiquote records.