by Rainer Maria Rilke (1875 - 1926)
Translation by John L. Mood
O, sage, Dichter, was du tust?
Language: German (Deutsch)
O, sage, Dichter, was du tust?
–Ich rühme.
Aber das Tödliche und Ungetüme,
wie hältst du’s aus, wie nimmst du’s hin?
–Ich rühme.
Aber das Namenlose, Anonyme,
wie rufst du’s, Dichter, dennoch an?
–Ich rühme.
Woher dein Recht, in jeglichem Kostüme,
in jeder Maske wahr zu sein?
–Ich rühme.
Und daß das Stille und das Ungestüme
wie Stern und Sturm dich kennen?:
–Weil ich rühme.
About the headline (FAQ)
Text Authorship:
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- by Ferenc Farkas (1905 - 2000), "O sage Dichter", 1984, copyright © 1987 [ four-part mixed chorus ], from Hommage à Rilke, no. 3, Editio Musica Budapest, Z. 13279 [sung text not yet checked]
- by Hilde Kocher-Klein (1894 - 1975), "Ich rühme", op. 95 [ chorus, baritone or alto, strings ] [sung text not yet checked]
Settings in other languages, adaptations, or excerpts:
- Also set in English, a translation by John L. Mood ; composed by Mark Adamo.
Researcher for this page: Joost van der Linden [Guest Editor]
This text was added to the website: 2023-08-01
Line count: 14
Word count: 65
The Poet Speaks of Praising
Language: English after the German (Deutsch)
Oh, speak, poet, what do you do?
—I praise.
But the monstrosities and the murderous days,
How do you endure them, how do you take them?
—I praise.
But the anonymous, the nameless grays,
How, poet, do you still invoke them?
—I praise.
What right have you, in all displays,
In very mask to be genuine, poet?
—I praise.
And that the stillness and the turbulent sprays,
Know you like star and storm?
—I praise.
Text Authorship:
Based on:
- a text in German (Deutsch) by Rainer Maria Rilke (1875 - 1926)
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- by Mark Adamo (b. 1962), "The Poet Speaks of Praising", 1996 [ satb chorus or ttbb chorus ], G Schirmer [sung text checked 1 time]
Researcher for this page: Joost van der Linden [Guest Editor]
This text was added to the website: 2026-10-25
Line count: 15
Word count: 76