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By Rainer Maria Rilke. From “The Book of Hours“. Admired and respected by Stefan Zweig. One of the forefathers of poetry. #poetrymatters

In the early morning hours
Since before the sun came up
Always poetry
Often Rilke

#PoetryMatters

I discovered this poem from Rilke‘s Book of Hours this morning, through a podcast called “Interesting People Reading Poetry.” Krista Tippett read it and talked about its meaning to her—and all of it was exactly what I needed right now. 💜💜💜

*This translation is by Joanna Macy and Anita Barrows

“Many have painted her. But there was one Who drew his radiant colours from the sun. Mysteriously glowing through a background dim
When he was suffering she came to him, And all the heavy pain within his heart Rose in his hands and stole into his art.” 👇

“So hat man sie gemalt; vor allem Einer, der seine Sehnsucht aus der Sonne trug. Ihm reifte sie aus allen Rätseln reiner, aber im Leiden immer allgemeiner: sein ganzes Leben war er wie ein Weiner, dem sich das Weinen in die Hände schlug.

Er ist der schönste Schleier ihrer Schmerzen, der sich an ihre wehen Lippen schmiegt, sich über ihnen fast zum Lächeln biegt - und von dem Licht aus sieben Engelskerzen wird sein Geheimnis nicht besiegt.”

“Disguised since childhood, assembled from voices and fears and little pleasures. We come of age as masks. Our true face never speaks. Somewhere there must be storehouses where all these lives are laid away like suits of armor or old carriages or clothes hanging limply on the walls. Maybe all paths lead there, to the repository of unlived things.”

#PoetryMatters | 8: #Truth

📷: Made with Typorama

“I live my life in widening circles that reach out across the world. I may not complete this last one but I give myself to it. I circle around God, around the primordial tower. I've been circling for thousands of years and I still don't know: am I a falcon, a storm, or a great song?”

#PoetryMatters | 1: #Story

📷: Made with Typorama

#Higher makes me think Rilke. I love this collection. I read it often, and I'm not particularly religious.
#poetrymatters @LazyDays

I have not read a great deal of poetry, but needed a selection to fulfill a book challenge category. So my daughter suggested her favorite book of poetry, Rilke's Book of Hours. And it was just lovely. #augustphotochallenge #poetry @TheSpinecrackersBookClub