The last line of Rilke’s poem, Archaic Torso of Apollo, “You must change your life.” feels like a gentle nudge to wake up. The poem starts by describing an old broken statue that’s incomplete but is still full of life. And as we consider it, we’re reminded that life itself is often unfinished and messy. Deep down we know the brokenness mirrors the thing within us that is uncomfortable to acknowledge. Then there’s a call to face reality, to face our own life today. It’s a cliche, but a heavy reminder to live more intentionally, to pay attention, and to be willing to change.
This line doesn’t give easy answers or echo the excuses we give ourselves. Instead, it points to the fact that each of us has the freedom and the responsibility to choose how we live. The broken statue is a metaphor for the issues of the real world. That beauty and truth aren’t distant ideas but part of everyday life, even when things are messy or hard. Rilke’s words ask us to take part in our lives fully. To change our life means to accept who we are right now and to be brave enough to transform. It’s an invitation and a quest, if we choose.