an autumn day

On our walk this morning it was evident that the season was changing; the willows along the creek turned yellow almost overnight. There was a woman sitting in a chair, singing. (Really.)

Not much to say today so I’ll let other people do it. These pictures were mostly taken in October but it’s close enough as to make no difference to me.

Herbsttag

Rainer Maria Rilke

(my translation is near the bottom)

           Herr: es ist Zeit. Der Sommer war sehr groß.

         Leg deinen Schatten auf die Sonnenuhren,

und auf den Fluren laß die Winde los.

     Befiehl den letzten Früchten voll zu sein;

gieb ihnen noch zwei südlichere Tage,

  dränge sie zur Vollendung hin und jage

die letzte Süße in den schweren Wein.

                  Wer jetzt kein Haus hat, baut sich keines mehr.

       Wer jetzt allein ist, wird es lange bleiben,

          wird wachen, lesen, lange Briefe schreiben

und wird in den Alleen hin und her

             unruhig wandern, wenn die Blätter treiben.

more of Cindy’s pictures. today would have been our thirtieth anniversary.

An Autumn Day

Rainer Maria Rilke

                 Lord: it is time. The summer was so grand.

      Lay your shadows across the sundial,

     And on the fields let loose the wind.

Command the last fruits to swell;

                    Give them but two days of southern weather

Urge them to ripeness and press

              The ultimate sweetness into heavy wine.

                     Who has no house now, will never build one.

Who is alone now, will always be,

Will wake, read, write long letters

And restlessly wander the streets

Like leaves in the wind.

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autumn

Herbst

Rainer Maria Rilke

(my translation is at the bottom)

   Die Blätter fallen, fallen wie von weit,

            als welkten in den Himmeln ferne Gärten;

                                                   sie fallen mit verneinender Gebärde.

             Und in den Nächten fällt die schwere Erde

aus allen Sternen in die Einsamkeit

Wir alle fallen. Diese Hand da fällt.

                                                   Und sieh dir andre an: es ist in allen,

           Und doch ist Einer, welcher dieses Fallen

                                                   unendlich sanft in seinen Händen hält

these are Cindy’s pictures

 Autumn

Rainer Maria Rilke

                                  The leaves are falling, falling as from afar,

                                                      As though withered in the distant gardens of heaven;

                                                             They fall with a gesture of negation.

                                 And in the nights the heavy earth is falling

                           From all the stars down into loneliness.

                            We are all falling. This hand falls there.

                       And consider this: it is in everything,

                               And yet there is one, who holds this falling

        Endlessly gently in his hands.

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