Presaging
I am like a flag unfurled in space,
I scent the oncoming winds and must bend with them,
While the things beneath are not yet stirring,
While doors close gently and there is silence in the chimneys
And the windows do not yet tremble and the dust is still heavy—
Then I feel the storm and am vibrant like the sea
And expand and withdraw into myself
And thrust myself forth and am alone in the great storm.
Credit
This poem is in the public domain. From Poems (Tobias A. Wright, 1918), translated by Jessie Lamont.
About this Poem
From Poems (Tobias A. Wright, 1918) by Rainer Maria Rilke, translated by Jessie Lamont.
Date Published
01/01/1918