Black Cat

"The Dog (Der Hund)" by Rainer Maria Rilke (1907)

“The Dog” is another animal or “thing poem” from New Poems. In it, Rilke presents a dog as it tries to understand the conditions of its being. The dog is responsive to the human world in a way that the cat in “Black Cat” is not, although it also appears to be unsure of its place in that world. Again, unlike the cat, the dog depends on humans.

"The Panther (Der Panther)" by Rainer Maria Rilke (1903)

At the zoo in the Jardin des Plantes in Paris, Rilke closely observes a panther in its cage. This poem derives in part from his observation. Published in New Poems, it is one of Rilke’s most famous poems. It depicts the powerful animal restlessly pacing the cage, unable to exert its power or follow its natural instincts. He has been imprisoned for so long that he cannot see beyond the bars of his cage.

"The Gazelle (Die Gazelle)" by Rainer Maria Rilke (1907)

“The Gazelle” is another Rilke poem inspired by his direct observation of the animals in the Jardin des Plantes in Paris. He wrote to his wife Clara in June 1907 that he found the three gazelles there so beautiful he could not tear himself away from watching them.