Sunday, December 4, 2011

Joyeux anniversaire, Monsieur Rilke






I would like to sing someone to sleep,
to sit beside someone and be there.
I would like to rock you and sing softly
and go with you to and from sleep.
I would like to be the one in the house
who knew: The night was cold.
And I would like to listen in and listen out
into you, into the world, into the woods.
The clocks shout to one another striking,
and one sees to the bottom of time.
And down below one last, strange man walks by
and rouses a strange dog.
And after that comes silence.
I have laid my eyes upon you wide;
and they hold you gently and let you go
when something stirs in the dark.






~ Rainer Maria Rilke
from The Book of Images
translated by Edward Snow
passport picture 1919



3 comments:

sarah said...

such a beautiful approach to sensory presence detailed through the open space of the heart.

Dean Keller said...

well said sarah, good to hear from you.

erin said...

such a tender desire to witness. perhaps this is one of the purest forms of love. could this love be without ego? almost - perhaps, wtinessing with nothing in return.

xo
erin