Rilke: New Poems

"Essential for all poetry collections. . . . Translator Joseph Cadora renders a beautiful new edition complete with commentary on each poem, based on Rilke''s letters, numerous biographies, and related works as well as an introduction outlining his approach to the translation." —Library Journal, starred review

"[The] renderings of the canonical poems, such as "The Panther," "Orpheus, Eurydice, Hermes," and "Archaic Torso of Apollo" (to name a few), are worthwhile additions to the enormous body of Rilke''s work already translated by others." —Booklist

Ranier Maria Rilke is one of the world''s best-selling poets, and Rilke: New Poems contains many of his most iconic pieces. Translator Joseph Cadora has created the definitive English-language version through meticulous faithfulness to Rilke''s German and insightful commentary on each of the 400-plus poems. Bilingual, with an introduction by Robert Hass.

The Panther

From endless passing of the bars his gaze
has wearied—there is no more it can hold.
There seem to be a thousand bars always,
and past those thousand bars there is no world.

The soft pad of his brawny, rippling pace
turns itself in a tightening circle till,
like a mighty dance around a tiny space,
it centers a numb but still enormous will.

But at times the shades of his pupils rise,
grasping an image he cannot resist;
through his tense, unmoving limbs it flies,
and within his heart it ceases to exist.

Rainer Maria Rilke (1875–1926) is one of the world''s most beloved poets.

Joseph Cadora is a guitarist, writer, and translator. He lives in Berkeley, California.