Rainer Maria Rilke

Death

Comethou,thoulastone,whomIrecognize,
unbearablepainthroughoutthisbody’sfabric:
asIinmyspiritburned,see,Inowburninthee:
thewoodthatlongresistedtheadvancingflames
whichthoukeptflaring,Inowamnourishinig
andburninthee.

Mygentleandmildbeingthroughthyruthlessfury
hasturnedintoaraginghellthatisnotfromhere.
Quitepure,quitefreeoffutureplanning,Imounted
thetangledfuneralpyrebuiltformysuffering,
sosureofnothingmoretobuyforfutureneeds,
whileinmyheartthestoredreserveskeptsilent.

IsitstillI,whotherepastallrecognitionburn?
MemoriesIdonotseizeandbringinside.
Olife!Oliving!Otobeoutside!
AndIinflames.Andnooneherewhoknowsme.

RainerMariaRilke
LoveSong

HowcanIkeepmysoulinme,sothat
itdoesn’ttouchyoursoul?HowcanIraise
ithighenough,pastyou,tootherthings?
Iwouldliketoshelterit,amongremote
lostobjects,insomedarkandsilentplace
thatdoesn’tresonatewhenyourdepthsresound.
Yeteverythingthattouchesus,meandyou,
takesustogetherlikeaviolin’sbow,
whichdraws*one*voiceoutoftwoseparatestrings.
Uponwhatinstrumentarewetwospanned?
Andwhatmusicianholdsusinhishand?
Ohsweetestsong.

RainerMariaRilke