How shall I hold on to my soul, so that
it does not touch yours? How shall I lift
it gently up over you on to other things?
I would so very much like to tuck it away
among long lost objects in the dark,
in some quiet, unknown place, somewhere
which remains motionless when your depths resound.
And yet everything which touches us, you and me,
takes us together like a single bow,
drawing out from two strings but one voice.
On which instrument are we strung?
And which violinist holds us in his hand?
O sweetest of songs.
'Love Song' Rainer Maria Rilke - from New Poems 1907 - 1908
Translated by Cliff Crego
'Portrait of a Girl (In thought)' circa 1876 - Pierre-Auguste Renoir
it does not touch yours? How shall I lift
it gently up over you on to other things?
I would so very much like to tuck it away
among long lost objects in the dark,
in some quiet, unknown place, somewhere
which remains motionless when your depths resound.
And yet everything which touches us, you and me,
takes us together like a single bow,
drawing out from two strings but one voice.
On which instrument are we strung?
And which violinist holds us in his hand?
O sweetest of songs.
'Love Song' Rainer Maria Rilke - from New Poems 1907 - 1908
Translated by Cliff Crego
'Portrait of a Girl (In thought)' circa 1876 - Pierre-Auguste Renoir
Olá gostaria que visita se meu blog que é dedicado a cultura. Espero que goste nele tenho uma coluna poética aos sábados ás 09 da manhã espero poder contar com sua visita.
ReplyDeleteSucesso em seu espaço.
Magno Oliveira
Twitter: @oliveirasmagno ou twitter/oliveirasmagno
Telefone: 55 11 61903992
E-mail oliveira_m_silva@hotmail.com
Magnifique portrait Dianne.
ReplyDeleteThank you Magno for visiting and for your kind invitation, yes I will visit your blog, though I do not speak Portuguese. :)
ReplyDeletexoxoxo ♡
Thank you dear Françoise , yes it is a beautiful portrait, Renoir has captured her expression of thought perfectly!
ReplyDeletexoxoxo ♡
rilke is always so .. right on .. for want of a better expression, as is renoir ..
ReplyDeleteits the hands he got right. i remember some other recent hands....of a lobster maybe! another beautiful pairing or art and words.
ReplyDeleteThank you dear Foamy , yes it seems as if Rilke intuitively knows how we are feeling and expresses those feelings in his beautifully crafted prose.
ReplyDeleteI love this prose, I am not saddened by it and yes I chose that particular Renoir as it is thoughtful, just like his words.
xoxoxo ♡
Thank you dear K9 , yes her hands are beautiful and so is the thoughtful expression on her lovely face.
ReplyDeleteRilke's words are so beautiful ... I felt that this portrait was perfect for them.
xoxoxo ♡
liebe Dianne,
ReplyDeleteich fühle dein Denken,
der Ausdruck Bild und das Gedicht in Harmonie,
viele schöne Stunden mit Freude heute, ja liebe Dianne
das wünsche ich....
liebe Grüße von Jasmin
Renoir and Rilke, to be savored slowly. Besos. I wish you a wonderful week!
ReplyDeleteDanke liebe Jasmin , ja, sie sind eine perfekte zusammen, Prosa und Portrait, beide schön, um meine Gefühle auszudrücken.
ReplyDeleteSie haben einen schönen Tag auch.
Mit freundlichen Grüßen Dianne.
xoxoxo ♡
Yes dear Leovi , both are beautiful and both are to be enjoyed.
ReplyDeleteThank you, I shall try to have a wonderful week. You too my friend!
Besos xoxoxo ♡
Beautiful Diane, a blog friend actually mailed me a book of poems by Rilke last year :) It was a lovely and thoughtful gift. It reminds me that I should mail something to her soon!
ReplyDeleteHave a wonderful week dear ♥
Yes dear Mayden it is a beautiful piece of prose by Rilke, I really love the depth of his poems.
ReplyDeleteYou are so fortunate to have been sent a book of his poetry, a very thoughful gift... something tangible to touch as you read his words on the pages.
Thank you, have a wonderful week yourself. :)
xoxoxo ♡
That is quite lovely, Dianne.
ReplyDeleteThank you dear Lee , yes it is quite lovely, in fact I think it is quite beautiful; I love the depth of feeling in his writing.
ReplyDeletexoxoxo ♡
Dear Dianne,
ReplyDeleteA sublime entry of these two artists, full of heart, poetry and talent!
Thanks!
have a lovely week,
^^
eljardindemiduende
Thank you dear Elia , yes both are beautiful, I am so pleased that you enjoyed my uniting of the works of two great artists for this post.
ReplyDeleteYou have a lovely week too!
xoxoxo ♡
i loved your haiku at foam's. it was funny and i agree that word is harsh. i shortened it into slang. i say youre a pulchy lady, dianne. grrrrrhahaha
ReplyDeleteThank you dear K9 you are very generous with your praise of my haiku. I did think of some flowery, blossomy words but they did not fit the 5-7-5 syllable rule.
ReplyDeletePulchritude is such an awful word for physical beauty...but thanks for the 'pulchy' lady compliment, that sounds a little better, I think! :) Lol
xoxoxo ♡
Lovely words for lingering thoughts. Hope your days are peace.
ReplyDeleteThank you dear Kathleen ,for your kind wishes, days of peace will come.
ReplyDeleteYes these are lovely words for quiet thought and contemplation.
xoxoxo ♡
Thank you for your comment Yoga Girl , yes it is lovely! :)
ReplyDeletexoxoxo ♡
Dianne,
ReplyDeleteYour blend of poems and paintings takes me straight to the emotions i could imagine during the Victorian era, a time where i wish i could've been born into its romantisms.
warm hugs.
col
Thank you dear col , yes the painting is the perfect image for this beautiful prose from Rilke and both reflected my thoughts and feelings.
ReplyDeleteYes, sometimes I think I should have liked to live in the Victorian era, it was an era of romanticism and creativity...we have the luxury of looking back on it now but we must remember that it was not good for all, there was disease, poverty and suffering for most and a rigid class distinction.
warm hugs to you
dianne xoxoxo ♡
Rilke, one of the best what Germany represents in the world. I wish you a good new week full of inspiration and power. Thank you for your very kind comment to my Tasso-post! Animals all over the world needs people like you and me:-)) Hugs from Luzia.
ReplyDeleteOh yes, dear Luzia the poetry and prose of Rilke is wonderful and unqique, I love reading his words, so much beauty and depth.
ReplyDeleteI hope little Tasso and animals like him find good owners and homes, that is one of my quests in life to help stop neglect and cruelty to all animals.
Hugs from Dianne. xoxoxo ♡