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Rilke-the great poet and bad chess player!

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walcott 26-Jun-08, 05:45	Rilke-the great poet and bad chess player! When I first joined the club, back in December, and was cordially welcomed by "our" Rilke, I mentioned that I was a great fan of the Prague-born poet of that name, too. I vaguely remembered a poem by Rainer Maria Rilke which incorporated a very strange notion of how the knight, in a game of chess, takes an opponent piece. But at the time - and for a long time afterward - I could no find the poem I was thinking of... Now, suddenly, looking for something else, I have! I copy out the original, and offer a very rough-and-ready translation. Aus dem Umkreis: Naechte Gestirne der Nacht, die ich erwachter gewahre, ueberspannen sie nur das heutige, meine Gesicht, oder zugleich das ganze Gesicht meiner Jahre, diese Bruecken, die ruhen auf Pfeilern von licht? Wer will dort wandeln? Fuer wen bin ich Abgrund and Bachbrett, dass er mich so im weitesten Kreis uebergeht -, mich ueberspring and mich nimmt wie den Laeufer im Schachbrett und auf seinem Siege besteht? From the Cycle: Nights Constellations of the night, which I, sleepless, observe, do you solely arch over my face of this present time, or equally all the faces of my trailing years:- You bridges, resting on columns of light! Who roams in your spaces? For whom am I earth's foundation, or bed of the river, so that from me he swings out in the widest circle? Who leaps over me and takes me, like the knight's move on the chess board, and gathers me into his triumph? On a personal note, I have been away from all chessboards these last few months: pressure of work! But now I am back, and would be very pleased to be challenged by any Club member. Walcott

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walcott
26-Jun-08, 05:45

Rilke-the great poet and bad chess player!

When I first joined the club, back in December, and was cordially welcomed by "our" Rilke, I mentioned that I was a great fan of the Prague-born poet of that name, too. I vaguely remembered a poem by Rainer Maria Rilke which incorporated a very strange notion of how the knight, in a game of chess, takes an opponent piece. But at the time - and for a long time afterward - I could no find the poem I was thinking of... Now, suddenly, looking for something else, I have! I copy out the original, and offer a very rough-and-ready translation.

Aus dem Umkreis: Naechte

Gestirne der Nacht, die ich erwachter gewahre,
ueberspannen sie nur das heutige, meine Gesicht,
oder zugleich das ganze Gesicht meiner Jahre,
diese Bruecken, die ruhen auf Pfeilern von licht?

Wer will dort wandeln? Fuer wen bin ich Abgrund and Bachbrett,
dass er mich so im weitesten Kreis uebergeht -,
mich ueberspring and mich nimmt wie den Laeufer im Schachbrett
und auf seinem Siege besteht?

From the Cycle: Nights

Constellations of the night, which I, sleepless, observe,
do you solely arch over my face of this present time,
or equally all the faces of my trailing years:-
You bridges, resting on columns of light!

Who roams in your spaces? For whom am I earth's foundation, or bed of the river,
so that from me he swings out in the widest circle?
Who leaps over me and takes me, like the knight's move on the chess board,
and gathers me into his triumph?

On a personal note, I have been away from all chessboards these last few months: pressure of work! But now I am back, and would be very pleased to be challenged by any Club member.

Walcott

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