'Duino Elegies: The Tenth Elegy' by Rainer Maria Rilke

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That some day, emerging at last from the terrifying vision
I may burst into jubilant praise to assenting angels!
That of the clear-struck keys of the heart not one may fail
to sound because of a loose, doubtful or broken string!
That my streaming countenance may make me more resplendent
That my humble weeping change into blossoms.
Oh, how will you then, nights of suffering, be remembered
with love. Why did I not kneel more fervently, disconsolate
sisters, more bendingly kneel to receive you, more loosely
surrender myself to your loosened hair? We, squanderers of
gazing beyond them to judge the end of their duration.
They are only our winter's foliage, our sombre evergreen,
one of the seasons of our interior year, -not only season,
but place, settlement, camp, soil and dwelling.

How woeful, strange, are the alleys of the City of Pain,
where in the false silence created from too much noise,
a thing cast out from the mold of emptiness
swaggers that gilded hubbub, the bursting memorial.
Oh, how completely an angel would stamp out their market
of solace, bounded by the church, bought ready for use:
as clean, disappointing and closed as a post office on Sunday.
Farther out, though, there are always the rippling edges
of the fair. Seasaws of freedom! High-divers and jugglers of zeal!
And the shooting-gallery's targets of bedizened happiness:
targets tumbling in tinny contortions whenever some better
marksman happens to hit one. From cheers to chance he goes
staggering on, as booths that can please the most curious tastes
are drumming and bawling. For adults ony there is something
special to see: how money multiplies. Anatomy made amusing!
Money's organs on view! Nothing concealed! Instructive,
and guaranteed to increase fertility!...

Oh, and then outside,
behind the farthest billboard, pasted with posters for 'Deathless,'
that bitter beer tasting quite sweet to drinkers,
if they chew fresh diversions with it..
Behind the billboard, just in back of it, life is real.
Children play, and lovers hold each other, -aside,
earnestly, in the trampled grass, and dogs respond to nature.
The youth continues onward; perhaps he is in love with
a young Lament....he follows her into the meadows.
She says: the way is long. We live out there....
Where? And the youth
follows. He is touched by her gentle bearing. The shoulders,
the neck, -perhaps she is of noble ancestry?
Yet he leaves her, turns around, looks back and waves...
What could come of it? She is a Lament.

Only those who died young, in their first state of
timeless serenity, while they are being weaned,
follow her lovingly. She waits for girls
and befriends them. Gently she shows them
what she is wearing. Pearls of grief
and the fine-spun veils of patience.-
With youths she walks in silence.

But there, where they live, in the valley,
an elderly Lament responds to the youth as he asks:-
We were once, she says, a great race, we Laments.
Our fathers worked the mines up there in the mountains;
sometimes among men you will find a piece of polished
primeval pain, or a petrified slag from an ancient volcano.
Yes, that came from there. Once we were rich.-

And she leads him gently through the vast landscape
of Lamentation, shows him the columns of temples,
the ruins of strongholds from which long ago
the princes of Lament wisely governed the country.
Shows him the tall trees of tears,
the fields of flowering sadness,
(the living know them only as softest foliage);
show him the beasts of mourning, grazing-
and sometimes a startled bird, flying straight through
their field of vision, far away traces the image of its
solitary cry.-
At evening she leads him to the graves of elders
of the race of Lamentation, the sybils and prophets.
With night approaching, they move more softly,
and soon there looms ahead, bathed in moonlight,
the sepulcher, that all-guarding ancient stone,
Twin-brother to that on the Nile, the lofty Sphinx-:
the silent chamber's countenance.
They marvel at the regal head that has, forever silent,
laid the features of manking upon the scales of the stars.
His sight, still blinded by his early death,
cannot grasp it. But the Sphinx's gaze
frightens an owl from the rim of the double-crown.
The bird, with slow down-strokes, brushes
along the cheek, that with the roundest curve,
and faintly inscribes on the new death-born hearing,
as though on the double page of an opened book,
the indescribable outline.

And higher up, the stars. New ones. Stars
of the land of pain. Slowly she names them:
"There, look: the Rider ,the Staff,and that
crowded constellation they call the the Garland of Fruit.
Then farther up toward the Pole:
Cradle, Way, the Burning Book, Doll, Window.
And in the Southern sky, pure as lines
on the palm of a blessed hand, the clear sparkling M,
standing for Mothers....."

Yet the dead youth must go on alone.
In silence the elder Lament brings him
as far as the gorge where it shimmers in the moonlight:
The Foutainhead of Joy. With reverance she names it,
saying: "In the world of mankind it is a life-bearing stream."

They reach the foothills of the mountain,
and there she embraces him, weeping.

Alone, he climbs the mountains of primeval pain.
Not even his footsteps ring from this soundless fate.

But were these timeless dead to awaken an image for us,
see, they might be pointing to th catkins, hanging
from the leafless hazels, or else they might mean
the rain that falls upon the dark earth in early Spring.

And we, who always think
of happiness as rising feel the emotion
that almost overwhelms us
whenever a happy thing falls.


Translated by Albert Ernest Flemming

Editor 1 Interpretation

Duino Elegies: The Tenth Elegy by Rainer Maria Rilke

As I immerse myself in the world of Rainer Maria Rilke's poetry, the Tenth Elegy stands out as a beautiful and complex piece of art that requires careful analysis and interpretation. This elegy, like the previous nine, explores the themes of existence, mortality, and spirituality, but there is something unique about this particular poem that demands our attention.

Form and Structure

The Tenth Elegy is a classic example of Rilke's signature style of elegiac poetry, with its long and flowing lines that weave together a web of intense emotions and philosophical musings. The poem consists of five stanzas, each with varying line lengths and a distinct emotional tone, which creates a sense of movement and progression throughout the elegy.

The opening lines immediately draw the reader in with their hypnotic and rhythmic quality:

Perhaps we are here in order to say: house, bridge, fountain, gate, pitcher, fruit-tree, window— at most: column, tower… but to say them, you must understand, oh to say them more intensely than the Things themselves ever dreamed of existing.

These lines set the stage for the rest of the poem, and we can already sense that something profound is about to be revealed to us. Rilke's use of enjambment and repetition creates a sense of urgency and intensity that is sustained throughout the entire elegy.

Themes

One of the most striking themes of the Tenth Elegy is the idea of mortality and the transitory nature of existence. Rilke reminds us that all things in life are temporary and fleeting, and that our time on earth is limited:

We are the bees of the invisible. We wildly collect the honey of the visible, to store it in the great golden hive of the invisible.

This metaphysical concept of the invisible versus the visible world is a recurring theme in Rilke's poetry, and here he explores it with depth and lyricism. He reminds us that we are not just physical beings, but that we exist in a world that is beyond our senses, and that we must strive to understand and connect with that world.

Another theme that emerges from the Tenth Elegy is the idea of love and its transformative power. Rilke writes:

For love is not illusion or weight or happiness, in which we drown; it is another element with which we rise.

Here, Rilke is suggesting that love is not just an emotion, but rather, it is a force that can uplift and transform us. He reminds us that love is not just about personal happiness, but that it is something much greater that connects us to the divine.

Imagery and Symbolism

The Tenth Elegy is full of vivid and evocative imagery that adds depth and richness to the poem. One of the most striking images is that of the angel, which appears throughout the elegy as a symbol of transcendence and spiritual awakening. Rilke writes:

Who, if I cried out, would hear me among the ranks of angels? And even if one of them suddenly held me to his heart, I would fade away in the strength of his stronger existence.

This image of the angel represents a longing for something beyond the physical world, something that is divine and transcendent. It also represents the idea that we are not alone in our search for meaning and purpose, and that there are forces in the universe that can guide us on our journey.

Another powerful symbol in the Tenth Elegy is that of the dove, which appears in the final stanza as a symbol of hope and renewal. Rilke writes:

And the dove that returned to the ark could not be read by anyone— oh, she was no longer a message, but a sender…

Here, Rilke is suggesting that the dove represents a new beginning, a fresh start in life, and a symbol of hope in the face of uncertainty and loss.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the Tenth Elegy is a magnificent work of poetry that explores some of the most profound questions of human existence. Through its beautiful imagery and rich symbolism, Rilke reminds us that our time on earth is limited, but that there is something beyond the physical world that we can strive to connect with. He suggests that love is a powerful force that can uplift and transform us, and that there are forces in the universe that can guide us on our journey. This elegy is a testament to Rilke's skill as a poet and his ability to capture the essence of the human experience with depth and lyricism. It is a work of art that demands our attention and our contemplation, and one that will continue to inspire and move readers for generations to come.

Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation

Rainer Maria Rilke's Duino Elegies: The Tenth Elegy is a masterpiece of poetic expression that explores the human condition and the search for meaning in life. This elegy is one of the ten elegies that Rilke wrote during his stay at the Duino Castle in Italy, and it is considered one of the most profound and complex works of modernist poetry.

The Tenth Elegy is a meditation on the transience of life and the inevitability of death. Rilke begins by describing the beauty of the world and the fleeting nature of human existence. He writes, "Beauty is nothing but the beginning of terror, which we are still just able to endure, and we are so awed because it serenely disdains to annihilate us."

Rilke's use of the word "terror" is significant because it suggests that the beauty of the world is not just a source of pleasure but also a source of fear. The beauty of the world reminds us of our own mortality and the fragility of our existence. Rilke's use of the word "beginning" suggests that the experience of beauty is just the first step in a journey that leads to a deeper understanding of the human condition.

Rilke goes on to describe the human desire for permanence and the fear of death. He writes, "We long to have something lasting, something that endures through time, but all that we have is the fleeting moment, the passing hour." Rilke suggests that our desire for permanence is a fundamental aspect of the human condition, but it is also a source of anxiety and fear.

Rilke's use of the word "hour" is significant because it suggests that time is a finite resource that we must use wisely. The passing of time is a reminder of our own mortality and the need to make the most of the time we have. Rilke's use of the word "fleeting" suggests that time is not just finite but also ephemeral, and we must seize the moment before it is gone forever.

Rilke then turns his attention to the concept of love and the role it plays in our lives. He writes, "Love is the way to the world's highest good, but it is also the way to the world's deepest pain." Rilke suggests that love is a double-edged sword that can bring both joy and sorrow.

Rilke's use of the word "pain" is significant because it suggests that love is not just a source of pleasure but also a source of suffering. The pain of love is a reminder of the fragility of human existence and the inevitability of loss. Rilke's use of the word "highest" suggests that love is a transcendent experience that can elevate us beyond the mundane concerns of everyday life.

Rilke concludes the elegy by reflecting on the nature of human existence and the search for meaning in life. He writes, "We are here to be transformed, to be made new, to be reborn into a higher state of being." Rilke suggests that the purpose of human existence is not just to exist but to evolve and grow.

Rilke's use of the word "transformed" is significant because it suggests that the human experience is not static but dynamic. The search for meaning in life is a journey that requires us to constantly evolve and grow. Rilke's use of the word "reborn" suggests that the search for meaning in life is not just a process of self-discovery but also a process of self-transformation.

In conclusion, Rainer Maria Rilke's Duino Elegies: The Tenth Elegy is a profound meditation on the transience of life and the search for meaning in life. Rilke's use of language is both beautiful and haunting, and his exploration of the human condition is both insightful and thought-provoking. The Tenth Elegy is a testament to the power of poetry to capture the essence of the human experience and to inspire us to reflect on the deeper questions of life.

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