the usual rilke
By Ernst Jandl
Translated By Joshua Weiner
rilke’s separation
the unusual rilke
and the usual rilke
are stuck in their sameness
the unusual rilke
and the usual rilke
would have stayed together
the unusual rilke
and the usual rilke
would have to separate
the unusual rilke
and the usual rilke
both knew it
rilke’s breath
1
rilke
breathed
the air
the good air
2
rilke
breathed
without pause
rilke’s nose
entrance and exit
of the air
it knew
stench
scent
aroma
handkerchief
sniffles
rilke’s name
rilke
said he
when asked for his name
rilke
one said
when asked for his name
or
never heard of him
rilke, unrhymed
rilke
said he
then he said
cuke
then quietly
cloud
rilke’s boat
taking a stroke
sitting there
sitting there
taking a stroke
rilke’s drawer
1
he pulled out
the drawer
he put something
in
something
was in there
he pushed in
the drawer
2
he pulled out
the drawer
something
was in there
he took something
out
he pushed in
the drawer
3
he pulled out
the drawer
nothing
was in there
he put nothing
in
he left the drawer
open
rilke’s chest
1
he lifted up
the lid
he put something
in
something
was in there
he shut
the lid
2
he lifted up
the lid
something
was in there
he took something
out
he shut
the lid
3
he lifted up
the lid
nothing
was in there
he put nothing
in
he left the chest
open
rilke’s shoe
rilke’s shoe
was one
of two
each shoe of rilke’s
was one
of two
rilke in shoes
always wore
two
calf to calf
stood rilke
jutting up from his shoes
rilke’s window
he opened
the window
stuck his head out
pulled his head in
closed it
he opened
the window
morning air
rushed in
evening air
night air
he closed
the window
rilke’s glass
rilke took a glass
filled it with water
lifted it to his mouth
drank
rilke’s hand
rilke’s hand and rilke’s hand
hanging by his side
rilke’s hand in rilke’s hand
the one in the other
rilke’s hand in the hand of another
greeting him
rilke’s hand at rilke’s mouth
sensing it there
rilke in conversation
someone asks
rilke answers
rilke asks
someone answers
neither is very happy about it
neither is very sad
rilke’s reward
this now
was his reward
nobody was certain
what he meant
rilke
wept
rilke’s contradiction
and yet small and white
and yet big and black
and yet small and black
and yet big and white
and yet small and big
and yet white and black
and yet small and black
and yet big and small and black
rilke’s eyes
rilke opened his eyes
everything was visible
nothing was invisible
rilke shut his eyes
nothing was visible
everything was invisible
rilke opened his eyes
nothing was invisible
everything was visible
rilke shut his eyes
nothing was visible
nothing was invisible
rilke’s weight
rilke is being
relieved of his weight
so roughly does the earth
raise her son
Translated from the German