"Advent" by Rainer Marie Rilke
Rainer Marie Rilke (1875–1926) was destined for the military, but an insightful uncle pulled the Prague-born student from a military academy and set him up for a literary career. Before entering Charles University in Prague, Rilke had published his first volume of poetry entitled "Leben and Lieder" (
Life and Songs).
Rilke spent years traveling around Europe, had met
Tolstoy in Russia, and found lyrical poetry while in Paris. Among his best-known works were "Das Stunden Buch" (
The Book of Hours, 1905) and "Sonnets of Orpheus (1923). The prolific poet was admired by fellow artists but otherwise generally unrecognized by the public.
"Advent" was one of Rilke's earliest poems, written in 1898.
Es treibt der Wind im Winterwalde
die Flockenherde wie ein Hirt,
und manche Tanne ahnt, wie balde
sie fromm und lichterheilig wird,
und lauscht hinaus. Den weißen Wegen
streckt sie die Zweige hin - bereit,
und wehrt dem Wind und wächst entgegen
der einen Nacht der Herrlichkeit.
English Translation of "Advent"
The wind in the winter white forest
urges the snowflakes along like a shepherd,
and many a fir tree senses
how soon she holy and sacredly lighted will be,
and so listens carefully. She extends her branches
towards the white paths – ever ready,
resisting the wind and growing towards
that great night of glory.
Famous Christmas Poems in German and English
German is a fantastic language for Christmas poetry, including three of the best-known poems by Busch, Rilke, and Ritter in German and English.
www.thoughtco.com
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