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More poems by Rainer Maria RilkeRainer Maria Rilke | Print this page.Print | Order a PoetryNotes Analysis of this poem.Analysis | View and Write CommentsComments

What Survives

Rainer Maria Rilke

Who says that all must vanish?
Who knows, perhaps the flight
of the bird you wound remains,
and perhaps flowers survive
caresses in us, in their ground.

It isn't the gesture that lasts,
but it dresses you again in gold
armor --from breast to knees--
and the battle was so pure
an Angel wears it after you.


Translated by A. Poulin

Added: 2 Mar 2002 | Last Read: 5 Sep 2008 5:12 AM | Viewed: 3423 times

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URL: http://plagiarist.com/poetry/3312/ | Viewed on 5 September 2008.
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