Monday, January 25, 2010



Have patience with everything
that remains unsolved in your heart.
Try to love the questions themselves,
like locked rooms and like books,
written in a foreign language.
Do not now look for answers.
They cannot now be given to you,
because you could not live them.
It is a question of experiencing everything.
At present you need to live the question.
Perhaps you will gradually,
without even noticing it,
find yourself experiencing
the answer, some distant day.

Letters To A Young Poet
Rainer Maria Rilke

24 comments:

Megan said...

Love Rilke.

Ténèbres à la lumière... said...

Hi! C.M. and Megan,
Unfortunately, I'am not familiar with Poet Rainer Maria Rilke yet, but I think no truer words were ever spoken.
Thanks, for sharing!
DeeDee ;-D

lettuce said...

ah CM, this is a wonderful wonderful quote.

Anonymous said...

I'm also one that has yet to explore Rilke's works; but if I ever come across a book or two, I'll grab it up :)

"Do not now look for answers..."

..indeed!

tony said...

Ah Rilke! Such Balance & Wisdom.Transpersonal -Thoughts Rule!

tut-tut said...

collage and words. Wonderful start to the day.

ArtSparker said...

It's beautiful and I like the collage. However, I think it's a lot easier for older people to be patient than for young people, it's a bit like telling someone who is twenty to be more wrinkled. Telling older people to be patient, though...that's when one is more ready to hear. I will link to this from my own patience post.

ArtSparker said...

Love what you have posted in the Leave your comment section - we have been discussing the nature of belief in my philosophy meetup.

Merle Sneed said...

My experience has been that trying to force the answers usually ends badly.

Sam Juliano said...

Yep, Rilke's poem is a gem, no question about that, and what a wonderful work to publish here as it's integral to the spirit. Lovely colage as well.

Coffee Messiah said...

megan: A favorite book of mine.

dd: This book is worth reading and is short.

lettuce: Thanks for stopping by.

subT: This is a great little book.

tony: It's hard to stop those thoughts.

t & t: Thanks.

artS: Oh yes, to be young and full of ideas and expectations. To be older, and understand a little bit better, both good.

As for belief, seems that those who follow certain ideologies, create boundaries between others, contrary to what should be. Very strange.

merle: Yes, attempting to make things happen, certainly rarely turns out as we plan.

sam: Long time ago an older person told me to read this book and glad that I did. It's beautiful. Thanks for stopping by.

Tess Kincaid said...

Wow, that's beautiful advice.

layers said...

that quote from Rilke- seems to sum up the artist's endless search and journey-- and that second collage seems to sum up the Democrats right now :-)

Crazy Ass Beastard said...

Coffee, did you notice that demonic face on the tree about midway up? It looks like it is looking down at the chessboard. Is that suppose to be there?

Anil P said...

First time I've read something by Rilke.

How apt.

Leave questions unanswered and you'll have invested in keeping life alive.

Coffee Messiah said...

willow: Yep.......

layers: Yes, having thought the muddling of the gw years was over, seems not.

simstone: Ha, there ya go, reading into things again ; )

anil p: This one book is among the favorites since I was younger.

Candie said...

A really good job!

Colette Amelia said...

ahhh loved catching up and as always it was as satisfying as a lovely cup of fair trade organic coffee!

Coffee Messiah said...

candie/colette: Thanks and for stopping by!

mouse (aka kimy) said...

excellent collage and that rilke passage is a wonderful meditation piece. thanks for sharing.

California Girl said...

You have me thinking about Rilke now. I commented on him in my feeble attempt to do a TT on Impression(ism). Excerpts of his writing are prevalent lately, a resurgence in popularity. Your work is so airy. You always find the right quotes.

Coffee Messiah said...

kimy: Hey, Thanks!

cg: Haven't been called an airhead in awhile, thanks 4 noticing!

Stephen said...

Beautiful collage and thought-provoking poem again Coffee Messiah.

This blog is an oasis of tranquility.

Thank you.

Coffee Messiah said...

stephen: Thanks for stopping by and taking a look!