Letters to a Young Poet

A famous Austrian poet received some lyrics written by a pupil at a military institution in 1903 and asked for an evaluation of their merit. In this sequence of letters, the more experienced poet Rainer Maria Rilke (1875–1926) responded to the beginner. The letters form an incredible record that offers exceptional insights into the concepts underlying Rilke's best poems. The 10 letters that are shown here were written by Rilke during a pivotal point in his creative evolution, and they are rich in themes that recur in his finest works. This collection is required reading for academics, poetry enthusiasts, and everyone interested in Rilke, German poetry, or the creative urge. The poet himself later claimed that his letters had a portion of his creative genius.