National Poetry Month: Rilke, Lowell - and Hannah Arendt

Saying farewell to National Poetry Month, here is an example of how German poetry has influenced American poets in surprising - and surprisingly wonderful  - ways.  One of Rainer Maria Rilke's last poems was Taube, die draußen blieb , which was included in his correspondence with Erika Mitterer (August 1926): 

Taube, die draußen blieb, außer dem Taubenschlag,
wieder in Kreis und Haus, einig der Nacht, dem Tag,
weiß sie die Heimlichkeit, wenn sich der Einbezug
fremdester Schrecken schmiegt in den gefühlten Flug.

Unter den Tauben, die allergeschonteste,
niemals gefährdeste, kennt nicht die Zärtlichkeit;
wiedererholtes Herz ist das bewohnteste:
freier durch Widerruf freut sich die Fähigkeit.

Über dem Nirgendssein spannt sich das Überall!
Ach der geworfene, ach der gewagte Ball,
Füllt er die Hände nicht anders mit Wiederkehr:
rein um sein Heimgewicht ist er mehr.

Unfortunately, a mistranslation of the poem (Dove, that ventured outside) is often included in English language selections of Rilke's poems.  Robert Lowell ended his 1961 collection of "translations"  - Imitations - with his version of Rilke's poem  - Pigeons - which he dedicated to Hannah Arendt. 

Not sure exactly what Pigeons has to do with Rilke's Taube  - or, for that matter with Hannah Arendt.  But it is one of Lowell's finest poems, as he, himself, acknowledged in a letter (January 9, 1961) to Arendt:

Dear Hannah:

    Here's the Rilke, almost unrecognizable, and really more my reply or extension than a translation. Stanza 3 which I added is something I have wanted to write since I fist read military history as a small boy = and especially somehow all this winter.  I want to put it out of chronological order and away from my other Rilde pieces and let it end my book, for it's really my own credo, and hope you'll let me dedicate it to you in gratitude - I wonder if it isn't quietly my finest poem? This is said in the first blush of accomplishment.  {...} yours affectionately, Cal.

Comments

[Sam]

Dear David, I was wondering if you had the full letter from Lowell to Arendt? And, where you found it? Best wishes, Sam

[David]

@Sam, Yes, I have Lowell's letters (edited by Saskia Hamilton). This was a short letter, and the only missing sentence in my quote is:

"Lizzie and I will miss you here in these months of your exile and ours,
Yours, affectionately.
Cal"

Was this when Arendt was in Israel covering the Eichmann trial?