Writtenduring an astonishing outburst of creativity during a period of only two weeksin February 1922, Rilke's Sonnetsto Orpheusis one of the great poetic works of the twentieth century. Willis Barnstonebrings these striking poems into English with an approach honed through yearsof work on the philosophy of translation, about which he has writtenextensively. This dual-language edition allows readers to compare versionsface-to-face to get a clear sense of the nuances of the translation. Alsoincluded is an extensive introduction from the translator that offers abiographical sketch of Rilke and reflects upon the ever-present tension betweenthe poet's passion for life, romance, and adventure, and his yearning for thesolitude he desperately needed to dedicate himself fully to his art.