-------- Forwarded Message -------- From: Ernst Meyer To: nicolachubrich@gmail.com Subject: January 2, 2020 Date: Thu, 02 Jan 2020 19:05:21 -0500 Dear Nicola, a) Thank you for your letter. b) Forgive me for the fact, which I cannot change, that my relationships to others, aside from members of my most immediate family, are presumptuous: I accept my role as that of a physician whose duty it is to understand (diagnose) and to try to help (treat). I admit my inadequacies, but I cannot be, and I to not want to pretend to be, more than I am. c) Here is the original text of the sonnet you quoted: XVI Du, mein Freund, bist einsam, weil … Wir machen mit Worten und Fingerzeigen uns allmählich die Welt zu eigen, vielleicht ihren schwächsten, gefährlichsten Teil. Wer zeigt mit Fingern auf einen Geruch? – Doch von den Kräften, die uns bedrohten, fühlst du viele … Du kennst die Toten, und du erschrickst vor dem Zauberspruch. Sieh, nun heißt es zusammen ertragen Stückwerk und Teile, als sei es das Ganze. Dir helfen, wird schwer sein. Vor allem: pflanze mich nicht in dein Herz. Ich wüchse zu schnell. Doch meines Herrn Hand will ich führen und sagen: Hier. Das ist Esau in seinem Fell. with an anmærkning (notes) by a Forfatter (arguably Rilke himself). Forfatterens anmærkning: „Dieses Sonett ist an einen Hund gerichtet. — Unter ’meines Herrn Hand’ ist die Beziehung zu Orpheus hergestellt, der hier als Herr des Dichters gilt. Der Dichter will diese Hand führen, daß sie auch, um seiner unendlichen Teilnehmung und Hingabe willen, den Hund segne, der, fast wie Esau (lies: 1 Mos27) sein Fell auch nur umgetan hat, um in seinem Herzen einer, ihm nicht zukommenden Erbschaft: des ganzen Menschlichen mit Not und Glück, teilhaft zu werden.” d) Here are the comments of a wannabe Professor of German Literature: The Forfatterens anmaerkning is even more puzzling than the sonnet. I don't know what it means that Forfatterens anmaerkning is in Danish. Here's my translation of the anmaerkning which I understand as little as I understand the sonnet. "This sonnet is addressed to a dog. With the words "my master's hand" (meines Herrn Hand) the relationship to Orpheus is established who is represented here as Master of the poet. The poet would guide this hand, that on account of his infinite participation and devotion, it might might also bless the dog, who, almost like Esau (read Genesis 27) also had put on his fur in order in his heart to become the undeserving beneficiary to a legacy of all that is human with its pain and bliss." My interpretation is different: Rilke, masquerading as a disciple of Orpheus is presenting Rilke's protegee, the dog, to Jacob at Jacob's deathbed. Miraculously now, Jacob is changed into Orpheus, and (by the power of poetry) the hand that is extending the blessing is forced to bestow that blessing on the dog, who confesses to the reader that he, the dog had only put on his fur in order in his heart to become the undeserving beneficiary to a legacy of all that is human with its pain and bliss." Neither Forfatter, nor Orpheus, nor Rilke, nor doggie anonymous, provides any hint as to whether the dog also chewed up the venetian blinds. EJM