Thursday, August 18, 2005



Der Nachbar

Fremde Geige, gehst du mir nach?
In wieviel Städten schon sprach
deine einsame Nacht zu meiner?
Spielen dich hunderte? Spielt dich einer?

Giebt es in allen großen Städten
solche, die sich ohne dich
schon in den den Flüssen verloren hätten?
Und warum trifft es immer mich?

Warum bin ich immer der Nachbar derer,
die ich bange zwingend zu singen
und zu sagen: Das Leben ist schwerer
als die Schwere von allen Dingen.

Rainer Maria Rilke, 1902/03, Paris

The Neighbour

Stray violin, are you following me?
In how many cities has your lonely night
Already spoken to mine?
Have hundreds played you? Does anyone play you?

Are there really those in every city
Who would have gone missing

If it weren't for you?
And why do I always end up here,

Sharing a room with someone
I pity; someone who is forced to sing
And to say : Life is harder
than the hardness in all things?


My translation

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