Poem found here: "Again and Again"
More about the Poet: Rainer Maria Rilke
"Again and again," the poem and the first phrase signals a repetition, but funnily enough there isn't a rhyme scheme in the poem -- maybe that'd be hitting things too hard on the nose since, as a reader, we already know the direction the poem is going, the how is what should be the draw.
"[...]however we know the landscape of love / and the little churchyard there, with its sorrowing names, [...]" The enjambed line brings a contrast, "landscape of love" and "the little churchyard there, with its sorrowing names" If we can assume the churchyard with sorrowing names means a graveyard makes it appear different: love and death. But is it?
After reading this poem a couple times, the idea of a graveyard is love, isn't it? It's a place where loved ones can rest and loved ones can mourn. Even when the speaker expands upon this landscape of love and depth to the point of hyperbole, "and the frighteningly silent abyss into which the others fall", there is a sense of an Orphean descent that doesn't seem frightening (even though the adverb in the line states that). The tone I get from the descent is tired.
The last three lines are imagistic and focuses with the speaker and the other doing the same action. If there was a word or two in there that made the poem lean towards that direction, something that has a sense of commentary to the situation, then I can believe that this poem had a hidden irony in it.
But not for me, when they face the sky, they enjoy this moment with a sense of melancholy and fear, but never wanting to break this cycle.
More about the Poet: Rainer Maria Rilke
"Again and again," the poem and the first phrase signals a repetition, but funnily enough there isn't a rhyme scheme in the poem -- maybe that'd be hitting things too hard on the nose since, as a reader, we already know the direction the poem is going, the how is what should be the draw.
"[...]however we know the landscape of love / and the little churchyard there, with its sorrowing names, [...]" The enjambed line brings a contrast, "landscape of love" and "the little churchyard there, with its sorrowing names" If we can assume the churchyard with sorrowing names means a graveyard makes it appear different: love and death. But is it?
After reading this poem a couple times, the idea of a graveyard is love, isn't it? It's a place where loved ones can rest and loved ones can mourn. Even when the speaker expands upon this landscape of love and depth to the point of hyperbole, "and the frighteningly silent abyss into which the others fall", there is a sense of an Orphean descent that doesn't seem frightening (even though the adverb in the line states that). The tone I get from the descent is tired.
[...] again and again the two of us walk out togetherIsn't there comfort in something being done again and again, even if it is a negative thing. Let's say the negative thing not stated here is that going back to a graveyard brings back memories like "the two of us walk out together", isn't there comfort that this happens, "again and again." It's something that can be counted upon. I think the image of the flowers in the lines outweigh the image of face to face with the sky. The flowers lessens the "frightening" aspect of this repetition. Yes, the image could be red ironically, but I'm choosing not to in this instance. What's my evidence, the silence.
under the ancient trees, lie down again and again
among the flowers, face to face with the sky.
The last three lines are imagistic and focuses with the speaker and the other doing the same action. If there was a word or two in there that made the poem lean towards that direction, something that has a sense of commentary to the situation, then I can believe that this poem had a hidden irony in it.
But not for me, when they face the sky, they enjoy this moment with a sense of melancholy and fear, but never wanting to break this cycle.
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