After an intense week of revisions, I'm grateful for the balm of Poetry Friday. Last week, I was late. (Really late. I posted my poem on Monday of this week.) This week, without an original poem, and without much time, I was worried I would have nothing to post at all.
Then I opened Rilke's Book of Hours: Love Poems to God.
From The Book of a Monastic Life
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?
---Rainer Maria Rilke, translated by Anita Barrows and Joanna Macy
I want the story I'm revising to be a falcon, a storm, and a great song. I want to give myself to it. And yet, I circle, and circle.
Poetry Friday is hosted today by Elaine at Wild Rose Reader. She is also interviewing Paul Janeczko!
Ach, I am so there with you. Circling. And circling. And turning and bowing to my partner and trying to get into step again and -- still losing it. Partly because I'm trying to lead...
ReplyDeleteKeep dancing. Eventually the frenetic jitterbugging turns into a graceful waltz, as you turn and turn with your Muse.
I love Rilke.
ReplyDeleteCircling is good. I too love Rilke. I have that book beside my bed.
ReplyDeleteI love Rilke, too.
ReplyDeleteI've been rather absent from Poetry Friday, too ... too much going on ... working on a big writing project ....
but, today, I need the break from the project and the refreshment of poetry. Great selection.
Ah.
ReplyDeleteAh.
Ah.
Rilke improves the quality of one's day.
Thanks. And I'd never even read that one before.
I'm on a Rilke binge lately. I'm calling it research, but it's really indulgence. :)
ReplyDeleteRilke, Rilke, Rilke
ReplyDeleteSara, Sara, Sara
Honey -- you are great songs.
You and he both...
Yes, circling here, too. With three days left of school, we're coming in on final at the airport of summer. May our landing be smooth, and may the connecting flight to vacation be on time.
ReplyDeleteI've never read Rilke. For some reason I have the name filed under "intimidating and incomprehensible" in my mind, though where that came from I don't know.
ReplyDeleteInstead I find delight. I'll be looking for a copy of this book.
It is really very nice article.I was searching on internet from long time.
ReplyDeleteThanks for posting such a nice article.
Wide Circles
I read Rilke. It is too good. The Articles in Rilke.is too good. I was feel Really good when i am reading Rilke. It was a nice experience.
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Martin
widecircles