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by Rainer Maria Rilke (1875 - 1926)

Klage
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Wem willst du klagen, Herz? Immer gemiedener
ringt sich dein Weg durch die unbegreiflichen
Menschen. Mehr noch vergebens vielleicht,
da er die Richtung behält,
Richtung zur Zukunft behält,
zu der verlorenen.

Früher. Klagtest? Was wars? Eine gefallene
Beere des Jubels, unreife.
Jetzt aber bricht mir mein Jubel-Baum,
bricht mir im Sturme mein langsamer
Jubel-Baum.
Schönster in meiner unsichtbaren
Landschaft, der du mich kenntlicher
machtest Engeln, unsichtbaren.

In: Insel-Almanach (1927); Confirmed with Rainer Maria Rilke, rainer-maria-rilke.de/100139klage.html


Text Authorship:

  • by Rainer Maria Rilke (1875 - 1926), "Klage", written 1914 [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 Peter Escher (1915 - 2008), "Klage", op. 32 no. 3 [ voice and piano ], Basle Switzerland : Prietto Music Editions  [sung text not yet checked]

Settings in other languages, adaptations, or excerpts:

  • Also set in English, a translation by Stephen Mitchell (b. 1943) , "Lament", copyright © ; composed by Richard Burchard.
    • Go to the text.

Researcher for this page: Joost van der Linden [Guest Editor]

This text was added to the website: 2023-10-10
Line count: 14
Word count: 66

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