'Lament (O how all things are far removed)' by Rainer Maria Rilke
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O how all things are far removed
and long have passed away.
I do believe the star,
whose light my face reflects,
is dead and has been so
for many thousand years.
I had a vision of a passing boat
and heard some voices saying disquieting things.
I heard a clock strike in some distant house...
but in which house?...
I long to quiet my anxious heart
and stand beneath the sky's immensity.
I long to pray...
And one of all the stars
must still exist.
I do believe that I would know
which one alone
endured,
and which like a white city stands
at the ray's end shining in the heavens.
Translated by Albert Ernest Flemming
Editor 1 Interpretation
Lament (O how all things are far removed)
Lament (O how all things are far removed) is a classic poem by Rainer Maria Rilke, published in 1902 in his first collection of poetry, "Das Stundenbuch" (The Book of Hours). This poem is a beautiful meditation on the human condition, the transience of life, and the longing for transcendence. It is a poem that speaks to the heart and the soul, and it has been widely read and appreciated for over a century.
The Poem
O how all things are far removed and long have passed away. I do believe the star, whose light my face reflects, is dead and has been so for many thousand years.
I had a vision of a passing boat and heard some voices saying disquieting things. I heard a clock strike in some distant house... but in which house?... I long to quiet my anxious heart and stand beneath the sky's immensity. I long to pray... And one of all the stars must still exist.
I do believe that I would know which one alone endured and followed on its way amid the countless constellations.
Literary Criticism and Interpretation
Lament is a complex and multi-layered poem, with many themes and motifs interwoven throughout. At its core, it is a meditation on the transience of life and the longing for transcendence. The speaker of the poem is acutely aware of the passing of time and the impermanence of all things. He looks up at the stars and wonders if any of them still exist, or if they have all burned out and died long ago. He hears voices saying disquieting things and feels a sense of unease and anxiety. He longs to quiet his restless heart and find peace beneath the vastness of the sky.
One of the most striking features of Lament is its use of imagery and metaphor. The poem is filled with vivid and evocative descriptions of the natural world, as well as references to clocks, boats, and stars. The speaker's vision of a passing boat is a metaphor for the fleeting nature of life, and the disquieting voices he hears represent the fears and doubts that plague us all. The clock striking in a distant house is a symbol of the relentless march of time, and the speaker's desire to know which house it is coming from speaks to his longing for knowledge and understanding.
The central metaphor of the poem is the star. The speaker believes that the star whose light reflects on his face is dead, and he wonders if any of the stars still exist. The star represents both the transience of life and the longing for transcendence. Like the stars, we are all born and we all die, but we can also aspire to something greater than ourselves. The speaker longs to pray and to find some kind of spiritual connection, and he believes that one of the stars must still exist, pointing the way to transcendence.
Another important theme in Lament is the idea of isolation and loneliness. The speaker is alone with his thoughts and his fears, and he longs for connection and understanding. He wants to pray, but he does not know how. He looks up at the stars and wonders if anyone else is out there, searching for meaning and purpose in the universe. This sense of isolation is a common theme in Rilke's work, and it speaks to the human condition of feeling alone in a vast and indifferent universe.
One of the most striking aspects of Lament is its use of language and sound. The poem is filled with alliteration, assonance, and other forms of repetition, creating a musical quality that draws the reader in. The use of the word "long" in the first and last lines of the poem creates a sense of longing and yearning, while the repeated "o" sounds in the opening line create a mournful tone. The use of ellipses and dashes throughout the poem also creates a sense of fragmentation and uncertainty, reflecting the speaker's unease and anxiety.
In conclusion, Lament (O how all things are far removed) is a beautiful and deeply moving poem that speaks to the human condition of transience, longing, and isolation. It is a meditation on the fleeting nature of life and the longing for transcendence, and it uses vivid imagery, metaphor, and sound to create a sense of longing and yearning. Rilke's poetry has been widely read and appreciated for over a century, and Lament is a prime example of his mastery of the form.
Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation
Lament (O how all things are far removed) is a classic poem written by Rainer Maria Rilke, a renowned German poet. The poem is a reflection of the human condition and the longing for a deeper connection with the world around us. In this analysis, we will explore the themes, structure, and literary devices used in the poem to understand its significance and relevance to our lives.
The poem begins with a lamentation of how all things are far removed from us, including the stars, the moon, and the sun. The speaker expresses a sense of isolation and detachment from the world, as if everything is beyond their reach. This feeling of distance is further emphasized by the use of the word "far" in the title and throughout the poem. The repetition of this word creates a sense of longing and yearning for something that is out of reach.
The first stanza of the poem sets the tone for the rest of the poem, as the speaker reflects on the transience of life and the impermanence of all things. The use of the word "passing" in the first line suggests that everything is fleeting and temporary, and that nothing lasts forever. This theme of impermanence is further developed in the second stanza, where the speaker reflects on the passing of time and the inevitability of death. The use of the word "dying" in this stanza creates a sense of finality and inevitability, as if death is an inescapable part of life.
The third stanza of the poem shifts the focus from the transience of life to the speaker's own sense of isolation and detachment from the world. The use of the word "lonely" in this stanza creates a sense of emotional distance and separation from others, as if the speaker is unable to connect with those around them. This feeling of isolation is further emphasized by the use of the word "alone" in the fourth stanza, which suggests that the speaker is completely cut off from the world around them.
The fifth stanza of the poem introduces a new theme, as the speaker reflects on the beauty of the natural world and the wonder of creation. The use of the word "wonder" in this stanza suggests that the speaker is in awe of the world around them, and that they are able to find solace and comfort in the beauty of nature. This theme of beauty and wonder is further developed in the sixth stanza, where the speaker reflects on the majesty of the stars and the vastness of the universe. The use of the word "infinite" in this stanza creates a sense of awe and wonder, as if the speaker is overwhelmed by the sheer magnitude of the cosmos.
The final stanza of the poem brings together all of the themes and ideas that have been developed throughout the poem. The use of the word "yearning" in this stanza suggests that the speaker is still searching for something, even though they are aware of the transience of life and the impermanence of all things. This sense of yearning is further emphasized by the repetition of the word "longing" in the final line of the poem, which creates a sense of urgency and desire.
In terms of structure, the poem is divided into six stanzas, each with four lines. The use of quatrains creates a sense of symmetry and balance, as if the poem is carefully structured and organized. The use of enjambment, where lines run on without punctuation, creates a sense of fluidity and movement, as if the poem is constantly flowing and evolving.
In terms of literary devices, the poem makes use of repetition, imagery, and metaphor to create a sense of depth and complexity. The repetition of the word "far" creates a sense of distance and longing, while the use of the word "passing" creates a sense of impermanence and transience. The use of imagery, such as the stars and the moon, creates a sense of wonder and awe, while the use of metaphor, such as the "infinite sky," creates a sense of vastness and magnitude.
Overall, Lament (O how all things are far removed) is a powerful and evocative poem that explores the themes of transience, isolation, and wonder. Through its use of structure, literary devices, and imagery, the poem creates a sense of depth and complexity that speaks to the human condition and our longing for a deeper connection with the world around us. Whether we are reflecting on the passing of time, the beauty of nature, or the vastness of the cosmos, this poem reminds us of the importance of seeking meaning and purpose in our lives, even in the face of impermanence and uncertainty.
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