One of the most widely read and translated poets, the highly gifted and deeply spiritual Austrian poet Rainer Maria Rilke is often described as a “poet’s poet,” whose intense, introspective work influenced such fellow poets as Wallace Stevens, E. E. Cummings, Theodore Roethke, Randall Jarrell, Stephan Mitchell, and Robert Bly.

Considered one of most significant literary figures of the early twentieth century, the first translations of Rilke began appearing in American newspapers as early as 1914, with the first book collection of his poems, translated by Jessie Lamont, published in 1918. This is a limited edition of the compete Lamont text, Rainer Maria Rilke: Poems, with the original introduction and a selection of the poet’s best known works, including: “Autumn,” “Moonlight Night,” “The Panther,” “I Live My Life in Circles,” and “Offering.”

A handmade book, limited to a numbered edition of fifty, the text is set in Weiss with titles in Wellsbrook Initials. Pages and endpapers are printed on 80 lb. Mohawk Superfine Text. The book has a hand-sewn linen binding, ribbon bookmark, cover of Japanese book cloth over boards and tipped-in title plate.

96 pages, 5 x 8.25 in
Rainer Maria Rilke Poems: book cover with tipped-in title plate
Rainer Maria Rilke Poems: endpaper detail
Rainer Maria Rilke Poems: title page
Rainer Maria Rilke Poems: content page detail
Rainer Maria Rilke Poems: content page detail
Rainer Maria Rilke Poems:  introduction page detail
Rainer Maria Rilke Poems: page spread with ribbon bookmark
Rainer Maria Rilke Poems: page detail
Rainer Maria Rilke Poems: page detail with sewn binding
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