Thursday, November 11, 2010

When I was a boy...







.
When I was a boy 
a god would often rescue me 
from the shouting and violence of humans. 
Then, safe and well, I would play 
with the meadow flowers, 
and heaven's breezes 
would play with me. 
.
And as you delight the heart 
of plants, stretching their tender 
arms toward you, 
Father Helios, 
so you delighted my heart, 
and I was your beloved, 
holy Luna, just like Endymion!
.
All you faithful 
friendly gods! 
I wish you knew 
how my soul loved you!
.
Naturally I couldn't call you 
by name then, nor did you use 
mine, as humans do, as if 
they really knew each other.
.
But I was better acquainted with you 
than I ever was with humans. 
I knew the stillness of the Aether: 
I never understood the words of men.
.
The euphony of the rustling 
meadow was my education; 
among flowers I learned to love.
.
I grew up 
in the arms of the gods.
.
~ Friedrich Hölderlin
.

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