Estos sonetos, nacidos bajo la excusa de epitafio a la bailarina Wera Oukama, cuya enfermedad y muerte tanto impresionaron al poeta, constituyen una versión apolínea —y no sólo por el formalismo estrófico— de ciertos temas concretos vinculados a la iluminación general de las Elegías de Duino.

Amb una dedicatòria del Joan Alavedra

Even as the farmer labors
there where the seed turns into summer,
it is not his work. It is Earth who gives.

Despite the parched ground it is but a shade of spring outside. The world appears geared to disrupt such edenic days with the distant rumble of foreign thunder and a blurred blunder on the button.

There were flashes here which I truly admired but not others. My hazed judgement might conceal a concern or two -- perhaps it doesn't. This series didn't engender thought so I'm moving on. ( )

Read a different edition than this. Had the original German across from the English verses, which I appreciated. I don't know enough Ovid to really appreciate this so lots of it was lost on me. ( )

Technically great, occasionally beautiful and thought-provoking, often silly imagery and it can be a bit of a drag. I prefer other Rilke.

Regarding this edition, it features a Dutch translation & the original German right next to each other so you can fall back without having to use grab a dictionary; good presentation. ( )