“But not you, O girl, nor yet his mother,stretched his eyebrows so fierce with expectation.Not for your mouth, you who hold him now,did his lips ripen into these fervent contours.Do you really think your quiet footstepscould have so convulsed him, you who move like dawn wind?True, you startled his heart; but older terrorsrushed into him with that first jolt to his emotions.Call him . . . you'll never quite retrieve him from those dark consorts.Yes, he wants to, he escapes; relieved, he makes a homein your familiar heart, takes root there and begins himself anew.But did he ever begin himself?”

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About Rainer Maria Rilke

Austrian poet and novelist of the early 20th century, Rilke is best known for his lyrical, introspective work that explores the depths of human experience and the mysteries of existence. His poetry, including *The Book of Hours*, captures the quiet ache of longing and the sublime in ordinary moments.

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"But not you, O girl, nor yet his mother,stretched his eyebrows so fie…" — Rainer Maria Rilke | Daily Quotes