Another poem

This one came to me entirely via "serendipity." My college orchestra performed a piece based on this poem.

Whenever the leaves begin to fall, as they are doing here, this poem by Rainer Maria Rilke comes to mind.

I like it better in the original German so I will include both the original and a translation by M. D. Herter Norton that I have adapted.

Autumn

The leaves are falling, falling as if from far off,
as if in the heavens distant gardens withered;
they fall with denying gestures.

And in the night the heavy earth falls
from all the stars into aloneness.

We are all falling. This hand falls.
And look at others: it is in them all.

And yet there is One who holds this falling
endlessly gently in His hands.

Herbst

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.