by Elizabeth Barrett Browning (1806 - 1861)
Translation by Rainer Maria Rilke (1875 - 1926)
First time he kissed me, he but only...
Language: English
First time he kissed me, he but only kissed The fingers of this hand wherewith I write, And ever since it grew more clean and white, -- Slow to world greetings, quick with its "Oh, list," When the angels speak. A ring of amethyst I could not wear here plainer to my sight Than that first kiss. The second passed in height The first, and sought the forehead, and half missed, Half falling on the hair. O beyond meed! That was the chrism of love which love's own crown, With sanctifying sweetness, did precede. The third upon my lips was folded down In perfect, purple state; since when, indeed, I have been proud and said: "My Love, my own."
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Text Authorship:
- by Elizabeth Barrett Browning (1806 - 1861), no title, appears in Poems, in Sonnets from the Portuguese, no. 38, first published 1847-50
See other settings of this text.
Researcher for this page: Lynn Steele
This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 14
Word count: 118
Sein erster Kuß berührte nur die Finger Matches base text
Language: German (Deutsch) after the English
Sein erster Kuß berührte nur die Finger, womit ich schreibe: wie sie seither leben geweiht und weiß, unfähig zu geringer Begrüßung, doch bereit, den Wink zu geben, wenn Engel sprechen. Und es könnte nicht ein Amethyst sichtbarer sein im Tragen als dieser Kuß. Der zweite, zum Gesicht aufsteigend, blieb, wo meine Haare lagen, verloren liegen. Unwert der Verwöhnung empfing ich seine Salbung vor der Krönung. Doch feierlich wie im Zeremonial war mir der dritte auf den Mund gelegt in Purpur, und seitdem sag ich bewegt: o mein Geliebter, - stolz mit einem Mal.
Composition:
- Set to music by Viktor Ullmann (1898 - 1944), "Sein erster Kuß berührte nur die Finger", op. 29 no. 3 (1940), from Drei Sonette aus dem Portugiesischen von Elizabeth Barett-Browning, übertragen von Rainer Maria Rilke, no. 3
Text Authorship:
- by Rainer Maria Rilke (1875 - 1926), no title, written 1908, appears in Sonette aus dem Portugiesischen, no. 38
Based on:
- a text in English by Elizabeth Barrett Browning (1806 - 1861), no title, appears in Poems, in Sonnets from the Portuguese, no. 38, first published 1847-50
See other settings of this text.
Researcher for this page: Guy Laffaille [Guest Editor]
This text was added to the website: 2008-11-26
Line count: 14
Word count: 92