Rilke's Art of Metric Melody, Volume I

INthis volume you’ll find, form-faithfully translated, NewPoems I and II (1907–1908), containing 179 works bylyric poet Rainer Maria Rilke (1875–1926). An innovativefeature is the pairing of each lyric with a “reply” poemby the translator, or translated by him from another poetwriting on a related theme. The result is a richly diversebook-length dialogue or symposium, a pioneering colloquyon comparative literature. Rilke’s interests—in mythology,history, religion, travel—range widely, and the manifolddialogue extends them further.To a startling degree, every Rilke lyric is like “The Panther”or “Archaic Torso of Apollo,” the two exemplary poemstreated in the “Introduction.” Each is a matter of beingand becoming, dream and reality, space and time, life anddeath. Rilke is the foremost ontological poet. Becausethis dimension of his thought and feeling is at once sowide in implication and so intently focused on the concreteexistence of a thing or creature as we watch it developfrom within, he will often approach the limit of what can besung in language.The means of expression he employs to do this are sointricate and subtle that we must empathetically followthe windings of his syntax as well as the rhythm andharmony of his words. Together they provide the meanswhereby music can aid speech in winging the distancefrom heart-thought to expression.

Pagina's: 458, Paperback, Createspace Independent Publishing Platform