Rilke: The Poet (from German)

The Poet
By Rainer Maria Rilke
Translated by A.Z. Foreman

Hour, you wind ever farther from me.
Your wings wound me as they beat away.
Alone: what would I do with my lips?
With my night? With my day?


I have no lover. I have no home.
I have nowhere I can stay.
All things to which I give myself
Get rich and then give me away.


The Original:

Der Dichter

Du entfernst dich von mir, du Stunde.
Wunden schlägt mir dein Flügelschlag.
Allein: was soll ich mit meinem Munde?
mit meiner Nacht? mit meinem Tag?

Ich habe keine Geliebte, kein Haus,
keine Stelle auf der ich lebe
Alle Dinge, an die ich mich gebe,
werden reich und geben mich aus.

9 comments:

  1. This poem is awesome.
    I just love Rilke's work.

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  2. I found this in a book. I've wanted to learn german for a while now. Thanks for the translation. :)

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  3. I found it in a book too! I had to look it up. It is so sad and gorgeous at the same time.

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  4. haha I found it in a book also!! I have a feeling we might have found it in the same book too!! lol

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  5. i guess i'm another one thaat found it in a book. and i must say i'll read more from this Rilke. I love poetry :)

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  6. A section of this poem is mentioned in Maggie Stiefvater's "Shiver" as well as many other poems by Rilke. 

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  7. that book was shiver? i found it there :D

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  8. I love that Maggie Stiefvater added so much of Rilke's poetry in the book "Shiver" it was a plesant to find that my favorite poem was in my favorite favorite book!!!

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