June 30, 2006 @ 8:03 am | Filed under: Poetry
I think this poem is still under copyright, so click here to read the whole thing.
by Rainer Maria Rilke
It would be good to give much thought, before
you try to find words for something so lost,
for those long childhood afternoons you knew
that vanished so completely—and why?
We’re still reminded: sometimes by a rain,
but we can no longer say what it means…
Links to more Poetry Friday contributions to come later. (I dare not speculate as to how much later. Things are a little hectic around here.)
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the translation is under copyright (not the original). poem hunter doesn’t care—so why should you? (poem hunter is tacky.)
it’s from the book of images, translated by edward snow, published by north point press 1991.
Posted on June 30th, 2006 at 7:18 pmoh…translations never do poetry (or any literature) justice. I doubt this is of any help to anyone, but here it is in German:
Posted on June 30th, 2006 at 10:58 pmhttp://rainer-maria-rilke.de/080035kindheit.html
I wish they had someone reciting it…the longing in the rhythm, the rhyme and the alliteration….the English cannot possibly do it justice.
The Book of Images by Edward Snow does not contain this poem. It contains another poem titled Childhood which is most defiantly not this poem. I have searched hi and low for a book that contains this poem. I’m pretty sure it’s an Edward Snow translation but cannot find it in any published book. If anyone knows the answer, I’d love to know?
Posted on July 8th, 2006 at 4:47 pm