Shabbat Wisdom
All Who Seek You
by Rainer Maria Rilke from "The Book of Hours: Love Poems to God"
All who seek you
test you.
And those who find you
bind you to image and gesture.
I would rather sense you
as the earth senses you.
In my ripening
ripens what you are.
I need from you no tricks
to prove you exist.
Time, I know,
is other than you.
No miracles, please.
Just let your laws
become clearer
from generation to generation.
posted by Barbara at 11:26 PM
3 Comments:
Rilke was one who understood. I must look this poem up in German.
Thanks for this, Barbara. I love this poem, and this treasured translation (more of an interpretation, perhaps). In the '90s I attended a heart-opening book party for this volume where the translators spoke and read. I'm still just as deeply affected today by these seemingly simple, deep-as-the-ocean verses. (I've given this particular translation as a gift to probably a dozen good friends over the years. Now that I know you have it, I won't give you a copy...hee hee...).
I hope your snowy headaches are easing.
F.
Angela -- I'm sure his writing is even more beautiful in German.
Anon -- It speaks volumes in just a few words, I agree.
The snow has become just another fact of life back east.
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