Autumn, Rainer Maria Rilke

[moireach.livejournal.com]

Autumn
Rainer Maria Rilke; translated by Robert Bly

The leaves are falling, falling as if from far up,
as if orchards were dying high in space.
Each leaf falls as if it were motioning "no."

And tonight the heavy earth is falling
away from all other stars in the loneliness.

We're all falling. This hand here is falling.
And look at the other one. It's in them all.

And yet there is Someone, whose hands
infinitely calm, hold up all this falling.


[note: There are quite a lot of different translations of this available online; this is my favorite, despite the weirdly ungrammatical last line.]

Comments

[groupie-supreme.livejournal.com]

It's wonderful. Thank you.

[moireach.livejournal.com]

:) It seemed appropriate.

translations...

[22by7.livejournal.com]

There are quite a few of those? I've only ever read Bly's translations, myself.

And Autumn is another one of my favourites. *smiles*

Re: translations...

[moireach.livejournal.com]

Well, just googling for this version I found this (http://lavender.fortunecity.com/exorcist/98/HERBST2E.HTM), this (http://biblescripture.net/Rilke.html) and this (http://www.learning-org.com/99.04/0111.html). So not a *ton*, and at least one seems to have been privately translated, but I was still surprised how many I came across while making sure I had the one I wanted.

Every time I think I'm over Rilke he reels me back in. Dammit. :)

Hmmm...

[asthenos.livejournal.com]

I am almost sure the last lines are thus, based on my recollection and this (http://theologytoday.ptsem.edu/jan1987/v43-4-article1.htm) page:

And yet there is Someone, whose hands
infinitely calm, hold up all this falling.

Honestly, though, I don't really like Bly's translations.

Re: Hmmm...

[moireach.livejournal.com]

Oh, that's *much* better. Edited the entry to adjust. Is there a translation you prefer? I'd like to read it.

Re: Hmmm...

[asthenos.livejournal.com]

I like MD Hester Norton's (this one (http://biblescripture.net/Rilke.html)) better--you linked it above, actually, but the site doesn't credit Norton.

Of course, I don't really have any right to talk about translations since I don't speak German.