Mary Virgin
Mary Virgin - context Summary
Composed for the Annunciation
Rilke's "Mary Virgin" is a short lyric from his Das Marien-Leben cycle written in 1912 and published in 1913. Framed by the Annunciation, it addresses Mary’s paradoxical purity and human vulnerability, asking how such light and gloom could arise in her. The poem reflects Rilke’s ongoing spiritual quest, treating a biblical occasion as intimate psychological encounter rather than doctrinal narrative, blending reverence with personal questioning.
Read Complete AnalysesHow came, how came from out thy night Mary, so much light And so much gloom: Who was thy bridegroom? Thou callest, thou callest and thou hast forgot That thou the same art not Who came to me In thy Virginity. I am still so blossoming, so young. How shall I go on tiptoe From childhood to Annunciation Through the dim twilight Into thy Garden.
Translated by Jessie Lamont
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