As in one's hand a lighted match blinds you before <br />it comes aflame and sends out brilliant flickering <br />tongues to every side - so, within the ring of the <br />spectators, her dance begins in hasty, heated rhythms <br />and spreads itself darting flames around. <br /> <br />And suddenly the dance is altogether flame! <br /> <br />With a fierce glance she sets her hair alight. <br />Unexpectedly she turns with daring artfulness <br />the swirling flounces of her dress within this <br />conflagaration, out of which her upheld naked arms, <br />clapping the castanets, appear like serpents striking. <br /> <br />And then, afraid her fire were diminishing, <br />she gathers it all up and flings it down <br />with an imperious haughtly gesture, and watches <br />as it lies there writhing on the ground, unyielding <br />and unwilling to concede the dance has ended. <br />Yet she show victory in her sweet swift smile <br />as she lifts up her face, while with her small firm feet <br />she stamps out the last of the dying embers. <br /> <br /> <br />Translated by Albert Ernest Flemming<br /><br />Rainer Maria Rilke<br /><br />http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/spanish-dancer/
