“No waiting the beyond, no peering toward it,but longing to degrade not even death;we shall learn earthliness, and serve its ends,to feel its hands about us like a friend's.”

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.