“You who never arrived
in my arms, Beloved, who were lost
from the start,
I don't even know what songs
would please you.”

—  Rainer Maria Rilke

You Who Never Arrived (as translated by Stephen Mitchell) (1913-1914)
Context: You who never arrived
in my arms, Beloved, who were lost
from the start,
I don't even know what songs
would please you. I have given up trying
to recognize you in the surging wave of the next
moment.

Original

Du im Voraus verlorne Geliebte, Nimmergekommene, nicht weiß ich, welche Töne dir lieb sind. Nicht mehr versuch ich, dich, wenn das Kommende wogt, zu erkennen.

Adopted from Wikiquote. Last update Sept. 29, 2023. History

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Rainer Maria Rilke photo
Rainer Maria Rilke 176
Austrian poet and writer 1875–1926

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