"For beauty is nothing but the beginning of terror, which we are still just able to endure,"?

Question

..and we are so awed because it serenely disdains to annihilate us."

What do you think of this poem by Rilke?

http://homestar.org/bryannan/duino.html

Answer 1

I think that this piece of writing is beautiful... Rilke was a brilliant man!

I believe that he was referring to either how Jacob wrestled with the angel in the Bible or in how Moses hid his face from God in the form of an Angel? and I especially loved what follows after...

"Every angel is terrifying.
And so I hold myself back and swallow the call-note of my dark sobbing.
Ah, whom can we ever turn to in our need?"

Rilke was mostly famous for his ability to give human feelings to things that otherwise could not feel, or express feeling.

A rose, a tree, an animal... He made all of their experiences human, from a very delicate and beautiful perspective but took nothing from them in the process... In this case... an angelic being supposed to offer releaf, but instead we turn our face in fear of our own salvation. Which would make sense considering because Rilke was said to be Homosexual and in his day and age (even today in some cases) people often turn their faces from God because they are not accepted in their churches and religions and as a result of their life choices under the heavy finger of religious dogma and strict guidelines, they also feel that God too is demonized in the process... It is a shame!

I can feel pain in this piece... and If I am correct in my assumption? It would make perfect sense...

Rilke is one of my most favorite poets of all time. I love him and get lost in his world and way with words, quite often actually.

If you love him like I do... Check out Hart Crane... You'll love his work as well!

Answer 2

Duino Elegies
by Rainer Maria Rilke

Answer 3

Wow that's really deep. I love it!

Answer 4

...Interesting....