An der sonngewohnten Straße / Rainer Maria Rilke

An der sonngewohnten Straße

An der sonngewohnten Straße, in dem

hohlen halben Baumstamm, der seit lange

Trog ward, eine Oberfläche Wasser

in sich leis erneuernd, still′ ich meinen

Durst: des Wassers Heiterkeit und Herkunft

in mich nehmend durch die Handgelenke.

Trinken schiene mir zu viel, zu deutlich;

aber diese wartende Gebärde

holt mir helles Wasser ins Bewußtsein.

Also, kämst du, braucht ich, mich zu stillen,

nur ein leichtes Anruhn meiner Hände,

sei′s an deiner Schulter junge Rundung,

sei es an den Andrang deiner Brüste.

[Muzot, Anfang Juni 1924]

Rainer Maria Rilke

Along the Sun-Drenched Roadside

Along the sun-drenched roadside, from the great

hollow half-treetrunk, which for generations

has been a trough, renewing in itself

an inch or two of rain, I satisfy

my thirst: taking the water's pristine coolness

into my whole body through my wrists.

Drinking would be too powerful, too clear;

but this unhurried gesture of restraint

fills my whole consciousness with shining water.

Thus, if you came, I could be satisfied

to let my hand rest lightly, for a moment,

lightly, upon your shoulder or your breast.

[Muzot, early June 1924]

Rainer Maria Rilke

Translated by Stephen Mitchell

Sulla via sempre assolata

Sulla via sempre assolata, nel

mezzo tronco cavo che da tempo

divenne abbeveratoio, e uno specchio d’acqua

in sé rinnova in sordina, sazio la mia

sete: limpidezza e origine dell’acqua

assorbendo in me dai polsi.

Bere parrebbe troppo, troppo esplicito;

ma questo gesto d’attesa

mi porta acqua chiara alla coscienza. 

Così, se tu venissi, basterebbe, a saziarmi,

il posarsi leggero delle mie mani

sulla fresca curva della tua spalla,

o dove colmi premono i tuoi seni.

Rainer Maria Rilke

[da  “Ultime poesie”, giugno 1924]

Photo by David Dubnitskiy