Rainer Maria Rilke

The sky puts on the darkening blue coatheld for it by a row of ancient trees;

Come thou, thou last one, whom I recognize,unbearable pain throughout this body's fabric:

Simply she stands at the cathedral’sgreat ascent, close to the rose window,

Sometimes she walks through the village in herlittle red dress

Ignorant before the heavens of my life,I stand and gaze in wonder. Oh the vastness

Center of all centers, core of cores,almond self-enclosed, and growing sweet--