A mini anthology of poetry and prose for enthusiasts and readers discovering Rainer Maria Rilke for the first time. John J. L. Mood has gathered a selection of Rilke's most powerful works, accompanied by commentary. In essays, he connects excerpts from letters that reveal Rilke's deep understanding of people and his intense spirituality, rooted in the senses. Combining passion and sensitivity, the poems about love are often not only sensual but also sexual. Others seek timeless themes in his work—death and life, growth and transformation. The book concludes with Rilke's thoughts on wisdom and openness to experience, on understanding the most difficult and transforming the most foreign into what we can trust the most.