You too will find your strength, December 4, 2017

Today is Rainer Maria Rilke’s birthday. I read his poems, letters and writings regularly, as those of you who follow me know. His words find their way into much of my work, and I turn to him for regular guidance and inspiration. This is II, 26 from Rilke’s Book of Hours as translated by Anita Barrows and Joanna Macy. 

You too will find your strength.
We who must live in this time
cannot imagine how strong you will become—
how strange, how surprising,
yet familiar as yesterday.

We will sense you
like a fragrance from a nearby garden
and watch you more through our days
like a shaft of sunlight in a sickroom.

We will not be herded into churches,
for you are not made by the crowd,
you who meet us in our solitude.

We are cradled close in your hands—
and lavishly flung forth.

Today’s Prompt:

Create a collage that uses black, white and red. If you have an old black and one print (linocut, lithography, etching, etc.) use that as the background. In your composition, suggest a conversation between two different creatures.

Everyday through December 25th, I’ll be making a 5×5 inch collage, writing a short entry on this blog and sharing a prompt for those who might want to participate along with me. You can follow my progress by subscribing to this blog through the sidebar on the blog homepage, or by following me on Instagram.