A common man marvels at uncommon things. A wise man marvels at the commonplace. CONFUCIUS

Saturday, 22 February 2014

Forever Taking Leave


And we: Spectators, always, everywhere,
looking at, never out of, everything!
It overfills us. We arrange it. It falls apart.
We rearrange it, and fall apart ourselves.

Who has turned us around like this, so that
always, no matter what we do, we're in the stance
of someone just departing? As he,
on the last hill that shows him all his valley
one last time, turns, stops, lingers —,
we live our lives, forever taking leave.

RILKE Duino Elegies: The Eighth Elegy (Translated by EDWARD SNOW)


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