then it becomes a grand affair. [...]"
from the early work, Mir zur Feier
(Celebration of Myself)
by Rainer Maria Rilke
This week, an image of Summer
Meadow. Also: a new translation
from the German.
August: Summer Meadow
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"You don't have to understand Life's nature, then it becomes a grand affair. [...]" from the early work, Mir zur Feier (Celebration of Myself) by Rainer Maria Rilke This week, an image of Summer Meadow. Also: a new translation from the German. |
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[Du musst das Leben nicht
verstehen] Du musst das Leben nicht verstehen, dann wird es werden wie ein Fest. Und lass dir jeden Tag geschehen so wie ein Kind im Weitergehen von jedem Wehen sich viele Blüten schenken lässt. Sie aufzusammeln und zu sparen, das kommt dem Kind nicht in den Sinn. Es löst sie leise aus den Haaren, drin sie so gern gefangen waren, und hält den lieben jungen Jahren nach neuen seine Hände hin. Rainer Maria Rilke (1898) |
[You don't have to understand Life's nature] You don't have to understand Life's nature, then it becomes a grand affair. Let every day just of itself occur like a child walks away from every hurt and happens upon the gift of many flowers. To collect and the blossoms spare, that never enters the child's mind. She gently unties them from her hair, where they were kept captive with such delight, and the hands of the loving, youthful years reach out to embrace the new. (tr. Cliff Crego)
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Listen to MP3's of Cliff Crego reading the poem in German original [800 K]
or in English translation [700 K ]
[to download: Windows: r click; Mac: opt + click]
| view / print
Picture/Poem
Poster: You don't habve to understand .... (86 K) | or
download
as PDF |
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Selected Sonnets
to Orpheus twenty-two poems in the order they have been featured
(text only) |
PDF
of Six Sonnets |
| 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:
(9) June: Windflowers and the Poetry of Praise
(8) June: The Poetry of Images of Movement
See also a selection of recent Picture/Poem "Rilke in translation"
features at the Rilke Archive.
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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 |
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See also: new |
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"Straight
roads, Slow rivers, Deep clay." |
A collection of contemporary Dutch poetry in English translation, with commentary and photographs by Cliff Crego |