Letters to A Young Poet

 Written by Jacob Sarmiento

   I chose to read the book Letters to A Young Poet by Rainer Maria Rilke. My decision to read this book came about after I saw multiple videos about the book that all said that this is the perfect book for young people looking to become artists, which is something I’m aspiring to. The book is a collection of letters that were sent by Rainer Maria Rilke, a popular poet during the 20th century to Franz Xaver Kappus, a young, aspiring poet over the span of many years. These letters contained Rilke’s advice for the young poet ranging from using introspection to find your calling to advice about the importance of sexuality and how it's been corrupted by the masses. The best parts of the book to me are when Rilke’s advice feels like he’s speaking from his own experiences as opposed to when he becomes more abstract and uses more figurative language, which to me feels less personal. Rilke’s view on trusting your instinct resonated with me in the passage that states, “Works of art are infinitely solitary and nothing is less likely to reach them than criticism…. trust yourself and your instincts; even if you go wrong in your judgment, the natural growth of your inner life will gradually, over time, lead you to other insights.” (13) The passage states that real art is created entirely from an individual and that criticism ultimately shouldn’t change it while also stating that your development will always be moving in the right direction as an artist if you fully trust your instincts. Letters to A Young Poet is a deep dive into one man’s perspective on what makes an artist an artist and how they should navigate the troubles of that life if they choose to lead it.