Sketchbook Sunday #4: My Favorite Poem

While perusing for this edition of Sketchbook Sunday, I was drawn to one of my favorite nooks in the house— the little shelf that holds my most inspirational books: thoughts on space by Sagan and Hawking, my favorite books from childhood, my vintage book collection, decorating books, and most importantly— my poetry collections.


Then I realized a few of my poetry books are so well loved and highlighted that they are just as important to me as sketchbooks. One of these is a collection of works by my all time favorite poet, Rainer Maria Rilke. I flipped through and found my favorite poem to share with you.


Lately I've been wanting to share more personal details about myself on the blog. Sure I write about my job, my work with Stockroom Vintage, outfits, and other details. . . so maybe personal isn't the word. Maybe I mean "real details"? I guess I feel like lately I have been so busy that I haven't really had time to post about any in-depth experiences I'm having or any of the challenges I face daily or any of the tiny things that make me who I am. I feel like my blog is just "Hey look at this pretty thing I did! I play with sugar all day and fart rainbows and never cry and everything is perfect!"

I love my blog because it's a place where I can connect with other like minded people, improve my photography, get feedback and advice from you wonderful beautiful people, and document progress I've made on the goals I set for myself to help me become a better person. In short: I intentionally keep it a happy space— there is too much negativity in the world and I refuse to add to it. I'm definitely a hopeless optimist, but I don't want to come off as some fairy princess. . . is any of this making sense? Bueller?


I guess when I came across my well worn, dog eared copy of my favorite poem and realized I wanted to share it with you, I thought, "Does this even fit with my blog? Will this resonate with my readers or will they just scroll on by and think I'm some angsty freak who thinks she's better than everyone else because she reads german poets?"


In summation— poetry is a big part of my life and I would like to share more of it here on the blog. I was a poetry editor on my high school literary magazine and also all through college. I even took poetry writing classes at my university and my thesis project was a series of handbound books I made featuring several poems I wrote about life-changing events I'd experienced. I'm not saying I want to make public all my most personal writings or dissect poetry on the blog, but I would love share some of the poems that really inspires me as a person. And heck, maybe even one day I'll get up the nerve to share my actual work with you guys. . .

I guess sharing something personal like this just makes me feel kind of vulnerable. "Hey this is one of my most favorite things on earth or something I'm proud I've written— here it is for you to tear apart and ridicule." Typing that out really makes me feel dumb though— I know none of you would be so terrible. But it's the internet and I know that people like that exist.


But I also know that part of what makes me happy is the things I like. I just know what I like, you know? And if I'm always true to that then I guess it doesn't matter if every single person who reads this is going to love it. As long as I can look back on things that are beautiful and true then I won't have any regrets about anything I share here or write about.

So with no further ado, here is my all time favorite poem. And here's to all of you who read this and weren't completely scared away by my stream of consciousness word vomit just now. I hope you can find some part of this that you enjoy just as much as I do.

I Am Too Alone in the World, and Not Alone Enough
By Rainer Maria Rilke 

I am too alone in the world, and not alone enough

to make every minute holy.
I am too tiny in this world, and not tiny enough
just to lie before you like a thing,
shrewd and secretive. I want my own will, and I want simply to be with my will,
as it goes toward action,
and in the silent, sometimes hardly moving times
when something is coming near,
I want to be with those who know secret things
or else alone.
I want to be a mirror for your whole body,
and I never want to be blind, or to be too old
to hold up your heavy and swaying picture.
I want to unfold.
I don't want to stay folded anywhere,
because where I am folded, there I am a lie.
And I want my grasp of things
true before you. I want to describe myself
like a painting that I looked at
closely for a long time,
like a saying that I finally understood,
like the pitcher I use every day,
like the face of my mother,
like a ship
that took me safely
through the wildest storm of all.

As always, thanks for sticking around with me— you guys really are the best! Do you have any favorite poems? Let me know in the comments— I'd love to read them if you do!