Rainer Maria Rilke, his poems on Venice (1875-1926)

Rainer Maria Rilke The poet Rainer Maria Rilke did not write many poems about Venice, even though Venice certainly played an important role in his personal and emotional life.

As proof of his attachment to Venice, he made numerous visits there, in 1897 as well as in 1910, 1911, 1912, 1914 and 1920.

He formed several personal friendships there, including with la Duse, the famous actress, also famous for her passionate love affair with Gabriele d'Annunzio.

Here are some of his poems about Venice.

Venetian Morning

“Spoiled princesses, the windows always see
what we struggle to perceive:
the City, which again and again,
where the light of the sky touches the tide,
emerges every day from nothingness.

Every morning must offer her the opal
with which she adorned herself the day before,
its reflections aligning on the waters of the canal
and she remembers other times:
only then does she offer herself and let herself be submerged
like a nymph, fertilised by Zeus.
The bells ring in her ears;
and as San Giorgio Maggiore rises,
she smiles nonchalantly at him.”
Rainer Maria Rilke

St. Mark

“In this hollow interior
the mosaics of azure and gold twirl and shine
angles and vaults, darkness secretly accumulated

Fragile balance of light
so amplified that it could disappear.
And suddenly, you doubt: Has it disappeared?

You retrace your steps in the stone gallery,
as if emerging from a mine,
and you find salvation by crossing
the vault bathed in light

A bright perspective:
but as you approach the immortal Quadriga,
a moment of weariness and melancholy.”
Rainer Maria Rilke

Gondolas

“Not a sound.
Only the gondoliers talk to each other.
The oars barely make a sound and
churches, canals
an unknown night beckons us.

Not a sound on the dark path,
The air stirs a distant Ave
True: I am an emperor
dead and being carried to the tomb...”
Rainer Maria Rilke