Yesterday, my German friend and fellow artist, Elke, and I went to the bookstore to search for a yoga book. Before we left, we had discovered that we both love Rilke’s poetry. I bought Rilke’s Book of Hours and then when I got home, I saw that I already had it so I will give it to someone who will love it. I started reading The Book of Hours and did not stop until I had finished the entire book. One short poem I love is:
I would describe myself
like a landscape I’ve studied
at length, in detail;
like a word I’m coming to understand;
like a pitcher I pour from at mealtime;
like my mother’s face;
like a ship that carried me
when the waters raged.
If you have not read Rilke’s Letters to a Young Poet and Letters on Cezanne, go to the bookstore immediately. They are filled with life’s lessons for all persons who are pursuing a dream. Surely they are required reading for writers and artists.
