32. RAINER MARIA RILKE: Letter to a young poet
This comic is an epilogue to my Litany Against Fear story.
Rainer Maria Rilke (1875-1926) was a famous Austrian poet and is considered one of the greatest poets of the 20th century. The above quote is taken from the book Letters to a Young Poet, which collects Rilke’s letters to a young man deciding whether to become a writer or enlist in the Austrian army (pretty easy decision if you ask me). The full passage reads: If your daily life seems poor, do not blame it; blame yourself, tell yourself that you are not poet enough to call forth its riches; for to the creator there is no poverty and no poor indifferent place.
- Thanks to my lovely cousin Wendi for submitting this quote.
- Ok, who recognised the picture at the end and went AH-HA! and who went HUH? Be honest. And did anybody recognise the man even before the final panel?
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Nice touch. It only took me a few seconds to get it.
I give up. Who is it?
Never mind. I got it. I couldn’t figure out why he looked familiar and then I realized I had seen him before. Nice work.
I thought he was looking at an iPad and it was how technology had sucked alot of life out And then felt bad when I realised…
Oof. Yea this comic (and especially that last panel) was heavy. Well done with this one!
Is that the same creator that lets bad things happen to good people?
It doesn’t mean Creator with a captial C. It means a creative person who is always pursuing something new.
You’re a tool, TUDZA.
Powerful and I love the tie in. I got it immediately and when I went back a couple of frames the similarities were so apparent. Keep up the strong work.
okay, still don’t get it, help please?
It’s a sequel to 17: Litany Against Fear
This one is amazing in itself. Tying it into the Herbert quotation on fear was so powerful. The booze bottles subtly placed in both artworks reminded me of rough times but now I count my blessings. Your talents are unique, enabling emotions to be catalyzed. RH
Thanks Rob
that’s most true, he has a genius at making everybody feel emotions
Awesome work, again!
I totally got it instantly, but I didn’t recognice him before the very last pic.
I always smile when I see on my FB that you’ve posted something new.
<3
i went ah-ah when i saw the last frame!
this was a nice but sad ending after he got incarcerated…at least he felt remorse for what he’s done & he’s probably got pensione considering he had a nice farewell party at work
i couldn’t recognize him even at the last panel. T_T” then i reopen “litany against fear”, and whew. It hurts. sad and hurtful.
good job. *sob*
I caught it right away at the end! Way to go full circle :]
Especially since LAF is one of my favorites.
Oh Gav, when will you be making posters available for these?
Posters coming very soon. Sorry for the delay!!
Wow, a callback.
Nice presentation in abbotsford last night Gav. I think the above needs the last part of the poem otherwise it misses out on something. Good work,
Thanks Rod
I almost cry with this one, Litany Against Fear was one of my favorite and this secuel it’s just perfect, congratulations
(Sorry for the bad english, I’m from El Salvador., and yeah we love your work here
)
I ah-ha’ed as soon as I saw the last frame, but did not make the connection before.
Lovely work, as always.
I recognized the guy right away. He is the one who abused his wife (girlfriend?). I like the outcome of his life though. You have done him justice!
Frightening!!!
Hey mate, Just thought I’d tell you I love how you revisit characters, very cool idea. I hope to see more in the future
I love the artwork and the callback is very effective and affecting and storytelling that can communicate so much in so few images is really just very very good
. . . but isn’t it fundamentally mismatched with the quote? The quote isn’t saying something like “you have to take responsibility for the choices you made and actions you performed and the consequences are your own to bear”, but instead something like “even the most banal or soul-crushing experiences are rich beyond understanding; the artistic impulse can find beauty and human worth in anything”. I don’t really get how the comic (which, again, is just fantastic) matches or illustrates or illuminates that quote.
He’s alone and miserable and has only himself to blame – that’s how I interpreted it
Just another layer. The art doesn’t have to match the quote exactly- though it can. Adorno talks about how the gravity of a piece of art varies according to its inspiration. Things don’t map 1:1 in the world of the arts, and thank goodness.
This one was more shocking than 17, simply because I’ve lived through an abusive marriage, and survived it, finding who I am in the process. I would never wish the existential terror of 32 on my ex, and the horrifying part is that if she does experience the pain and regret and loneliness that are the consequence of her actions, it will all be because she chose it. As someone who aspires to a certain level of compassion, I can’t help but feel a sorrow about that that is entirely different than forgiveness.
Well said Jess
This is good. I’d like to see more about the woman.
Ouch. Nuff said.
I have read almost every one of these tonights, just discovered your site today. I really dig it! you are doing great things and making amazing idea’s more accessible to people. Thank you!. Namaste.
When I saw who it was, i was about to cry…
I read your prints from start again and that’s when I got how this one connected.
I don’t quite get it. I mean, I understand that he’s the wife-beater from 17, but is the quote saying that he’s not quite creative enough to appreciate the circumstances that lead to his situation and if so, then is the point made in the last frame that he deserves comfort, or is it meant to be snarky and sort of sarcastic?
I thought he seemed familiar, but I knew immediately when I saw the photograph. It’s a nice touch and nice to see that maybe he is at least a little remorseful. Though it doesn’t seem as though he has changed his ways.
I’m currently reading Letters to a Young Poet and I’m so happy to see you’ve illustrated a quote from it!