by Elizabeth Barrett Browning (1806 - 1861)
Translation by Rainer Maria Rilke (1875 - 1926)
I think of thee! ‑‑ my thoughts do twine...
Language: English
I think of thee! -- my thoughts do twine and bud About thee, as wild vines, about a tree, Put out broad leaves, and soon there's nought to see Except the straggling green which hides the wood. Yet, O my palm-tree, be it understood I will not have my thoughts instead of thee Who art dearer, better! Rather, instantly Renew thy presence; as a strong tree should, Rustle thy boughs and set thy trunk all bare, And let these bands of greenery which insphere thee Drop heavily down, -- burst, shattered, everywhere! Because, in this deep joy to see and hear thee And breathe within thy shadow a new air, I do not think of thee -- I am too near thee.
About the headline (FAQ)
Text Authorship:
- by Elizabeth Barrett Browning (1806 - 1861), no title, appears in Poems, in Sonnets from the Portuguese, no. 29, first published 1850 [author's text checked 1 time against a primary source]
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- by Eleanor Everest Freer (1864 - 1942), "I think of thee! -- my thoughts do twine and bud", published 1910 [ medium voice and piano ], from Sonnets from the Portuguese, no. 29 [sung text not yet checked]
Settings in other languages, adaptations, or excerpts:
- Also set in German (Deutsch), a translation by Rainer Maria Rilke (1875 - 1926) , no title, appears in Sonette aus dem Portugiesischen, no. 29, first published 1908 ; composed by Egon Joseph Wellesz.
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website: 2007-12-16
Line count: 14
Word count: 119
Ich denk an dich. Wie wilder Wein den...
Language: German (Deutsch) after the English
Ich denk an dich. Wie wilder Wein den Baum sprießend umringt, mit breiten Blättern hängen um dich meine Gedanken, daß man kaum den Stamm noch sieht unter dem grünen Drängen. Und doch, mein Palmenbaum, will ich nicht sie, diese Gedanken, sondern dich, der teurer und besser ist. Du solltest ungeheurer dich wieder zeigen, weithin rauschend wie es starke Bäume tun. Und dann laß da das Grüne dieser kreisenden Lianen abfallen, wo es schon zerrissen ist, weil meine Freude im Dich-Sehn und -Ahnen, in deinem Schatten atmend, ganz vergißt an dich zu denken - ich bin dir zu nah.
About the headline (FAQ)
Text Authorship:
- by Rainer Maria Rilke (1875 - 1926), no title, appears in Sonette aus dem Portugiesischen, no. 29, first published 1908 [author's text not yet checked against a primary source]
Based on:
- a text in English by Elizabeth Barrett Browning (1806 - 1861), no title, appears in Poems, in Sonnets from the Portuguese, no. 29, first published 1850
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- by Egon Joseph Wellesz (1885 - 1974), "Ich denk an dich. Wie wilder Wein den Baum spriessend umringt", op. 52 no. 4 (1934), published 1935 [ soprano and string quartet ], from Sonette der Elisabeth Barrett-Browning, no. 4 [sung text not yet checked]
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website: 2007-12-16
Line count: 14
Word count: 97