Rainer Maria RilkeRainer Maria Rilke (1875-1926)(1875-1926)

ACAC: : People see you and they expect to hear “Me and Bobby People see you and they expect to hear “Me and Bobby McGee.” In retrospect, how prophetic is the line McGee.” In retrospect, how prophetic is the line “Freedom’s just another word for nothing left to lose”?“Freedom’s just another word for nothing left to lose”?

Kris KristoffersonKris Kristofferson: It definitely expressed the double-: It definitely expressed the double-edged sword that freedom is. Unless you’ve lost edged sword that freedom is. Unless you’ve lost everything – and I certainly haven’t – you’re not free. everything – and I certainly haven’t – you’re not free. If you’ve got a family you’re not as free as if you’re If you’ve got a family you’re not as free as if you’re alone. But nobody wants to be alone. I have no alone. But nobody wants to be alone. I have no illusions [that] I’m free. I’m chained to a lot. But I illusions [that] I’m free. I’m chained to a lot. But I don’t want to get free of my family, my home, and don’t want to get free of my family, my home, and people I love. I like the responsibilities that keep me people I love. I like the responsibilities that keep me from being free. from being free.

---(---(Austin ChronicleAustin Chronicle, Feb. 23 2006), Feb. 23 2006)

Stefan Zweig:Stefan Zweig:

“…“…No one lived more gently, more secretly, No one lived more gently, more secretly, more invisibly than Rilke… Silence seemed to more invisibly than Rilke… Silence seemed to grow around him, wherever he went, wherever grow around him, wherever he went, wherever he was… It was difficult to reach Rilke. He he was… It was difficult to reach Rilke. He had no house, no address where one could find had no house, no address where one could find him, no home, no steady lodging, no office. him, no home, no steady lodging, no office. He was always on his way through the world, He was always on his way through the world, and no one, not even he himself, knew in and no one, not even he himself, knew in advance which direction it would take.”advance which direction it would take.”

ParisParis

RomeRome

Duino Castle (Switzerland)Duino Castle (Switzerland)

Rodin to Rilke:Rodin to Rilke: “Travailler, travailler, “Travailler, travailler, travailler!” (“Work, work, work!”)travailler!” (“Work, work, work!”)

Robert Bly:Robert Bly:

“ “Even those who do not know German can Even those who do not know German can hear, if they read over the four opening lines of hear, if they read over the four opening lines of ‘The Panther,’ the ‘The Panther,’ the ää sound, repeating, sound, repeating, returning monotonously, incessantly, like the returning monotonously, incessantly, like the bars before the panther’s eyes.”bars before the panther’s eyes.”

Sein Blick ist vom Vorübergehn der StSein Blick ist vom Vorübergehn der Stääbebe

So müd geworden, dass er nichts mehr hSo müd geworden, dass er nichts mehr häält.lt.

Ihm ist, als ob es Ihm ist, als ob es ttauaussenendd StStääbe gbe gääbebe

Und hinUnd hintter er ttauaussenendd StStääben ben keinekeine Wel Weltt..

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From seeing the From seeing the barsbars, his seeing is so exhausted, his seeing is so exhausted

That it no longer holds anything anymore.That it no longer holds anything anymore.

To him the world is To him the world is barsbars, a hundred thousand, a hundred thousand

BarsBars, and , and bbehind the ehind the barsbars, nothing., nothing.---(translated by Robert Bly)---(translated by Robert Bly)

The lithe swinging of that rhythmical easy strideThe lithe swinging of that rhythmical easy stride

Which circles down to the tiniest hubWhich circles down to the tiniest hub

Is like a dance of energy around a pointIs like a dance of energy around a point

In which a great will stands stunned and numb.In which a great will stands stunned and numb.

Only at times the curtains of the pupils riseOnly at times the curtains of the pupils rise

Without a sound . . . then a shape enters,Without a sound . . . then a shape enters,

Slips through the tightened silence of the shoulders,Slips through the tightened silence of the shoulders,

Reaches the heart, and dies.Reaches the heart, and dies.(Robert Bly)(Robert Bly)

Like Romantics:Like Romantics:Emphasis on Imagination, attention to form Emphasis on Imagination, attention to form

(rhyme, sonnets, etc.)(rhyme, sonnets, etc.)

Unlike Romantics:Unlike Romantics:No “I” in “poem.” Attempt to de-emphasize self No “I” in “poem.” Attempt to de-emphasize self

(individual) and draw truth from object itself(individual) and draw truth from object itself

Like Modernists:Like Modernists:““Existential” aloneness; search for truth/God in Existential” aloneness; search for truth/God in

the individual rather than priest/religionthe individual rather than priest/religion

Unlike Modernists:Unlike Modernists:Belief in some universal truth; not considered Belief in some universal truth; not considered

avant-gardeavant-garde

“Everything is gestation and then bringing forth. To let each impression and each germ of a feeling come to completion wholly in itself, in the dark, in the inexpressible, the unconscious, beyond the reach of one’s own intelligence, and await with deep humility and patience the birth-hour of a new clarity. . .”

--- Rilke, Letters to a Young Poet