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Umlt~ on LOvr {) III. FOrI1S on LOVE InTItODUCTIOn I have said that there is perhaps no great poet whose work is more sensual than that of Rilke, that the great spirituality of his work is forever and always rooted in the senses. I think this is obvious in all of his poetry. The subject matter, the images, the undertones, the figures-all are earthly, even earthy in resonance. His concern with things is itself an illustration of this. And his fascination with and portrayal of the great lovers, especially women, is well known, as, for example, in THe Notebooks of Malte Laurids Brigge.

Wache und sich: sie bekommen zu schn. La{3 sie ineinander sinken, urn einander zu Obcrstehn. Sag wei~t du Liebesnachte? Treiben nicht auf dcinem Blut Kelchblattcr weicher Worte? Sind nicht an deinem Iiebcn Leibe Orte, die sich entsinnen wie ein Angesicht? diese weichen Nachte halten mich wie ihresgleichen und ich liege ohne Lieblingin. Bilden die Nachte sich nicht aus dem schmerzlichen Raum aller der Arme die jah ein Geliebter verlle/3. e, schlieB dich als Lorbeerbaum. Welche Wiesen duften deine Hande?

To what are we near? To death. or that display which is not yet? For what would be clay to clay had not the god feelingly formed the figure which grows between us. But understand for sure: this is my body which is resurrected. Now gently deliver it from the burning grave into that heaven which in you 1crave: that from it survival be boldly effected. You young place of ascension deep. You dark breeze of summery pollen. When its thousand spirits romp madly all in you, my stiff corpse again grows soft asleep.