A new translation of Rilke’s classic elegies—ten mystical, radiant poems that bring together the beautiful and the sacred.

Rainer Maria Rilke’s Duino Elegies are one of the great literary masterpieces of the twentieth century. Begun in 1912 while the poet was a guest at Duino Castle on the Adriatic Sea and completed in a final bout of feverish inspiration in 1922, the ten elegies survey the mysteries of consciousness, whether human or animal, earthly or divine.

Poet and translator Alfred Corn offers a fresh take on this cornerstone of German lyric poetry, bringing us closer to Rilke’s meaning than ever before and illuminating the elegies’ celebration of life and love. Also included are a critical introduction exploring the nuances of the translation, several thematically linked lyrics and two of the Letters to a Young Poet to complete the volume.