Death & Dying
Death
Translated by Jessie Lemont (1918) · From The Book of Pictures
Death & Dying
Before us great Death stands
Our fate held close within his quiet hands.
When with proud joy we lift Life's red wine
To drink deep of the mystic shining cup
And ecstasy through all our being leaps--
Death bows his head and weeps.
Cite this poem
MLA
Rilke, Rainer Maria. “Death.” Translated by Jessie Lemont. Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/rilke/20/.
Chicago
Rilke, Rainer Maria. “Death.” Translated by Jessie Lemont. Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/rilke/20/.
Read this poem with the Codex →