Letters to a Young Poet | Rainer Maria Rilke, Franz Xaver Kappus

Letters to a Young Poet | Rainer Maria Rilke, Franz Xaver Kappus | Why Have I Not Read This Sooner?

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Letters to a Young...

	Letters to a Young Poet Rainer Maria Rilke, Franz Xaver Kappus Dover Publications, 2002 - 80 pages average customer review:based on 71 reviews view larger image
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highly recommended

Love as a burden and an apprenticeship...

Rilke's words are so counterintuitive in this day and age. When he speaks of love it is not with urgency and grand passion - rather, it is with a sense of duty and open acceptance of hardship. When he speaks of solitude, he acknowledges its difficulty but stresses its absolute necessity. When he speaks of self-realization, he refers not to arrival at answers but love of the questions themselves. And when he speaks of writing, he approaches it with reverence and a sense of enormity, saying that it is a vocation which must be patiently and cautiously cultivated.

All of these things he discusses with incredible wisdom and lucidity. For anyone feeling the multiplicity of strains the outside world can impose, Rilke centers, assures, and illuminates.

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Why Have I Not Read This Sooner?

Why have I not read this glorious volume sooner? l can't imagine living one day longer without immersing myself within the folds of the pages of Rainer Maria Rilke's Letter's To A Young Poet. This book is solely responsible for setting me free a a writer and creative spirit. After reading it, I feel as if I have the permission to create not only works of my own writing but high art, or whatever is inside my soul needling to be set free.

I leave you with this quote which tells all: "No one can advise or help you - no one. There is only one thing you should do. Go into yourself. Find out the reason that commands you to write; see whether it has spread its roots into the very depths of your heart; confess to yourself whether you would have to die if you were forbidden to write. This most of all: ask yourself in the most silent hour of your night: must I write? Dig into yourself for a deep answer. And if this answer rings out in assent, if you meet this solemn question with a strong, simple 'I must,' then build you life in accordance with this necessity; your whole life, even into its humblest and most indifferent hour, must become a sign and witness to this impulse."

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Classic

If you don't know who Rilke is, please don't tell me. Go see what's in your local library. I guarantee you they have some Rilke, and I don't care what country you live in. I haven't even checked in Hangzhou, nor do I feel the need. He's like that. I've loved him for most of my life. Since I'm supposed to be reviewing this little book, its honesty is astounding. An aspiring poet who attended Rilke's university years later asked for some advice, and got the most accurate responses an author has ever sent an aspirant. I absolutely love this book.

like whoopie says...

First heard about this in the movie "Sister Act 2" and Whoopie's character's arguement made sense...if you wake up every day and all you can think about is writing, then you're a writer..." Great book. Inspirational for all.

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Mitchell's translation of Rilke

I find Stephen Mitchell's translation far superior to that if The New World Library. Compare this passage:
"Perhaps all dragons in our lives are really princesses just waiting to see us just once being beautiful and courageous."(NWL)
"Perhaps all the dragons in our lives are really princesses waiting for us to act, just once, with beauty and courage."(SM)
I only wish Miller's were as beautifully hard bound as NWL's.

reviews: 1, 2, 3, page 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13

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