Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, TWO POEMS TO HANS THOMA ON HIS SIXIETH BIRTHDAY: 2. THE KNIGHT, by RAINER MARIA RILKE


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

TWO POEMS TO HANS THOMA ON HIS SIXIETH BIRTHDAY: 2. THE KNIGHT, by             Poem Explanation     Poet Analysis     Poet's Biography
First Line: The knight rides forth in blackest mail
Last Line: And singing?
Subject(s): Knights & Knighthood; Thoma, Hans (1839-1924)


The knight rides forth in blackest mail,
The rustling world to meet.
Out there he finds all: the day and the dale
And the friend and the foe and the castle's pale,
And fair May and fair maid and the woods and the grail,
And God Himself doth never fail
To stand upon the street.
But within the knightly armor yonder,
Behind that gloomy wringing,
Cowers death and has to ponder, ponder:
When will the blade come springing
Over the iron wall,
The stranger, freedom bringing,
That from my hiding-place shall call
Me forth, where I for many a day
Am waiting, crouched and clinging,
That I may stretch out, once for all,
With play
And singing?





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