[1] Du, mein Freund: According to Rilke himself, the addressee is a dog. In a dedication written in a copy of "Sonette an Orpheus" owned by Leopold von Schlözer Rilke writes an interpretation which is perhaps more perplexing than the sonnet itself. See footnote 14. In order to create a dactylic meter "mein Freund" and "bist einsam" have to be read as unaccented. The whole sonnet, being written an almost prosaic language, evinces several instances of irregular meter. The language is perhaps so simplified, because the poet is speaking to a dog.

[2] bist einsam, weil . . .: Another use of the ellipsis to express the causes of the loneliness of the never-named hound which will be further expounded in the sonnet along with a possible solution. The ellipsis also serves a pause long enough to cover two metrical feet. Ellipsis: 2. A mark or series of marks: ( . . . ) for example, used in writing or printing to indicate an omission, especially of letters or words.

[3] mit Worten und Fingerzeigen: Note the use of the plural "Worte" which means a word used in context as opposed to "Wörter" which are words used out of context as in a "Wörterbuch." This refers to the poet, while the "Fingerzeigen" refers to how dogs are trained to obey finger or hand commands. The last word in this verse, "Fingerzeigen" necessitates a pause after "Finger" to maintain the somewhat forced dactylic meter.

[4] Wer zeigt mit Fingern auf einen Geruch?--: The question is directed to the dog, referring back to the "Fingerzeigen" and posing the question that, although being commanded by finger and hand commands, there is no way that such an amorphous phenomenon as "smelling" can be expressed through pointing. Since the sense of smell is a dog's primary sense receptor, Rilke is using this example for the dog's benefit. The -- [Gedankenstrich] before the question mark indicates that this sentence is to be seen as parenthetical. As we have seen previously, Rilke often uses the Gedankenstrich idiosyncratically. Perhaps at the beginning of a quatrain the typography would be disturbed, robbing the quatrain of its significance. In Sonnet X Rilke uses both parts in [--innen voll Stille und Bienensaug--]. In Sonne XIII he uses the combination of a Gedankenstrich and a colon before the parenthetical phrase and a Gedankenstrich plus a comma thereafter [. . . hiesig --:/O Erfahrung, Fühlung, Freude--, riesig!]. In Sonnet XV he uses solely the Gedankenstrich plus colon, but no further Gedankenstrich indicating that what preceeded it is to be seen as parenthetical [,ein Summen --:]. In other places with just the usage of a Bindestrich at the end of verse indicates that the verse itself is parenthetical. In Sonnet I after the word "beben" there is a Bindestrich indicating that the verse [mit einem Zugang, dessen Pfosten begen, --] is paranthetical. In Sonnet II the Bindestrich indicates that the following verse is parenthetical [Wo sinkt sie hin aus mir?" . . . Eine Mädchen fast . . .]. In Sonnet III it comes before the parenthetical expression at the end of the previous verse [-- lerne/vergessen, daß du aufsangst. Das verrinnt.].

[5] viele . . .: Refers back to "von den Kräften" with the following ellipsis filling in for any further exposition of these forces.

[6] Du kennst die Toten,/und du erschrikst vor dem Zauberspruch.: These characteristics are hard to reconcile with being characteristic of a dog, since they normally belong to Orpheus. It would be difficult to maintain that Rilke has switched in the last three verses of the quatrain from the dog to Orpheus with the "du" form of address, but coming after the paranthetical first line which breaks the direct address, it remains possible. In Duineser Elegie four, Rilke describes a lion as having no knowledge of death: "Und irgendwo gehn Löwen noch und wissen/solong sie herrlich sind, von keiner Ohnmacht." In the eighth Elegie in regard to animals he writes: ". . . das freie Tier/hat seinen Untergang stets hinter sich/und vor sich Gott, und wenn es geht, so gehts/in Ewigkeit, so wie die Brunnen gehen."

[7] Sieh: With this command we are either still with the dog being addressed or switch back from Orpheus to the dog.

[8] als sei es das Ganze: Konjunktiv I being used to express a conditional without the use of "wenn." The use of Konjunktiv I in this way is a more archaic or literary technique where normally Konjunktiv II "wäre" would be used with "als ob" [als ob es das Ganze wäre]. The word "das Ganze" is another "Substantivierung des Adjetives" whereby the adjective "ganz" is capitalized to create a neuter noun with in this case the ending "e" because it is used in the nominative case as a predicate noun after "das." Konjunktiv I: One form of the German subjunctive built on the infinitive, dropping the "en" or "n" and adding the subjunctive endings.

[9] Dir helfen: It is correct to eliminate the infinitive "zu" when using the verb "helfen."

[10] pflanze: "Du" form command ending "e."

[11] in dein Herz: The accusative indicating motion "into your heart."

[12] wüchse: Konjunktiv II used without "würde" which is normal in written German, but uncommon in the spoken language. The dog is to not put too much faith into the narrator, because humans are more changeable as they grow, while dogs remain the same.

[13] Doch  m e i n e s  Herrn Hand will ich führen und sagen: This is the point where the interpretation of this poem becomes even more convoluted. The poet himself speaks in the first person and intends to lead his master's hand which refers to Orpheus which parallels the blind Isaac's hand being led to touching Jacob [by God], disguised as Esau's hairy self through the interspersion of the skin of a goat, and thereby receiving the blessing which normaly would go to Esau as the first born. Note also the use of Sperrdruck to accentuate the interjection of Orpheus into the sonnet. It also accents an unaccented syllable if one is reading it as a dactylic verse.

[14] Hier. Das ist Esau in seinem Fell: In a dedication written in a copy of "Sonette an Orpheus" owned by Leopold von Schlözer Rilke wrote the following interpretation: "Dieses Sonett ist an einen Hund gerichtet. -- Unter -- 'meines Herrn Hand' ist die Beziehung zu Orpheus hergestellt, der hier als 'Herr' des Dichters gilt. Der Dichter will diese Hand führen, daß sie auch, um seiner unendlichen Teilnehmung und Hingabe willen, den Hund segne, der fast wie Esau, sein Fell auch umgetan hat, um in seinem Herzen einer, ihm nicht zukommenden Erbschaft, das ganze Menschlichen mit Not und Glück, teilhaft zu werden." This could mean that the hand of Orpheus will believe that the dog is really Esau, because of the hairy pelt and it is to receive the blessing normally given to a human which entitles him to be treated as a human, instead of as an animal--man's best friend. It should be noted that in the first edition of the Sonette an Orpheus there were only two "Anmerkungen" at the end, while in the 1955 edition edited by Ernst Zinn there are 12, one of which is the abovementioned dedication to Leopold von Schlözer with one editorial addition; after "der fast wie Esau" Professor Zinn interpolates [lies: Jakob. Mose 27], indicating that the reader should substitute "Jakob" for "Esau." I believe that Rilke did mean "Esau" and the dog is only able to represent a human, if that human be similar to "Esau" and have a pelt rather than normal skin. Except for the interpolation by Ernest Zinn I have seen no indication that Rilke ever repudiated the use of "Esau." The final sentence "Das ist Esau in seinem Fell." is basically the same statement that Jakob would have made to his Father, Isaac. In this sonnnet the poet is making an analagous false statement to Orpheus, so that the dog may attain near-human status. Were you to substitute "Jakob" and write "Das ist Jakob in seinem Fell," then Isaac would not have given him his blessing, but would have disowned him. Were the poet to have said that to Orpheus, assuming that Orpheus knew the biblical story, then Orpheus would not have bestowed his blessing, since Jacob had normal skin destroying the deception.