May: Wonders in the Form of a Flower

May: Wonders in the Form of a Flower
(click on photo to enlarge)

"How it stands there against the
darkening
evening rain, young and pure;
its arched branches pouring out in giving
and yet deeply immersed in its rose-being.
..."

from Wild Rosebush, a poem by
Rainer Maria Rilke

This week, an image of a wild Dogrose
together with two new tranlations
from the uncollected work
of Rilke.

(click on photo to enlarge)
	"How it stands there against the darkening evening rain, young and pure; its arched branches pouring out in giving and yet deeply immersed in its rose-being. ..." from Wild Rosebush, a poem by Rainer Maria Rilke This week, an image of a wild Dogrose together with two new tranlations from the uncollected work of Rilke.

The guest poems for this week are new English translations from the work of the German language
poet, Rainer Maria Rilke (from the Rilke website, a concise hyperlinked biography).

Wilder Rosenbusch

Wie steht er da vor den Verdunkelungen
des Regenabends, jung und rein;
in seinen Ranken schenkend ausgeschwungen
und doch versunken in sein Rose-sein;

die flachen Blüten, da und dort schon offen,
jegliche ungewollt und ungepflegt:
so, von sich selbst unendlich übertroffen
und unbeschreiblich aus sich selbst erregt,

ruft er dem Wandrer, der in abenlicher
Nachdenlichkeit den Weg vorüberkommt:
Oh sieh mich stehn, sieh her, was bin ich sicher
und unbeschützt und habe was mir frommt.

Muzot, Switzerland (1924)

Wild Rosebush

How it stands there against the darkening
evening rain, young and pure;
its arched branches pouring out in giving
and yet deeply immersed in its rose-being.

the shallow blossoms, here and there already open,
each one unwilled and uncared for:
and so, each endlessly surpassed
and indescribably excited by itself,

calling to the wanderer, who in evening
reflection passes down the way:
Oh look at me, look here, see how safe
and unprotected I am, having only what I need.

| listen to Wild Rosebush in German original; listen to English trnaslation # |

Die Mandelbäume in Blüte: alles, was wir leisten können, ist, sich
ohne Rest zu erkennen in der irdischen Erscheinung.

Unendlich staun ich euch an, ihr Seligen, euer Benehmen,
wie ihr die schwindliche Zier traget in ewigem Sinn.
Ach wers verstünde zu blühn: dem wär das Herz über alle
schwachen Gefahren hinaus und in der großen getrost.

(1912)

Almond trees in flower: all that we can achieve is, with
nothing remaining, to recognize ourselves in earthly appearance.

Ceaselessly amazed by you, blessed ones, your intention,
how you carry the transient ornament in its eternal sense.
Yet whoever knew how to flower: their heart would rise
above all weaker dangers and find solace in the greater one.

(tr. Cliff Crego)

| listen to Almond Trees in German / Enlgish one recording # |

| view / print Picture/Poem Poster: Initial (86 K) | or download as PDF |

| see also the Rilke Posters |

| listen to other recordings in English and German of twelve poems from
The Book of Images at The Rilke Download Page (# Includes instructions) |

See other recent additions of new English translations of Rilke's poetry, together with
featured photographs at:

(5) Out of an April: Mountains of the Heart

(4) Tapoff, Mountain Spring: Loneliness

| see also a selection of recent Picture/Poem "Rilke in translation" features at the Rilke Archive.

See also another website
by Cliff Crego:
The Poetry of
Rainer Maria Rilke

a presentation of 80 of the
best poems of Rilke in
both German and
new English translations:
biography, links, posters