A Legacy Poem by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

A Legacy

Rating: 3.0


No living atom comes at last to naught!
Active in each is still the eternal Thought:
Hold fast to Being if thou wouldst be blest.
Being is without end; for changeless laws
Bind that from which the All its glory draws
Of living treasures endlessly possessed.

Unto the wise of old this truth was known,
Such wisdom knit their noble souls in one;
Then hold thou still the lore of ancient days!
To that high power thou ow'st it, son of man,
By whose decree the earth its circuit ran
And all the planets went their various ways.
Then inward turn at once thy searching eyes;

Thence shalt thou see the central truth arise
From which no lofty soul goes e'er astray;
There shalt thou miss no needful guiding sign-
For conscience lives, and still its light divine
Shall be the sun of all thy moral day.
Next shalt thou trust thy senses' evidence,
And fear from them no treacherous offence
While the mind's watchful eye thy road commands:
With lively pleasure contemplate the scene
And roam securely, teachable, serene,
At will throughout a world of fruitful lands.
Enjoy in moderation all life gives:
Where it rejoices in each thing that lives
Let reason be thy guide and make thee see.
Then shall the distant past be present still,
The future, ere it comes, thy vision fill-
Each single moment touch eternity.
Then at the last shalt thou achieve thy quest,
And in one final, firm conviction rest:
What bears for thee true fruit alone is true.
Prove all things, watch the movement of the world
As down the various ways its tribes are whirled;
Take thou thy stand among the chosen few.
Thus hath it been of old; in solitude
The artist shaped what thing to him seemed good,
The wise man hearkened to his own soul's voice.
Thus also shalt thou find thy greatest bliss;
To lead where the elect shall follow-this
And this alone is worth a hero's choice.

A Legacy
COMMENTS OF THE POEM
Dave Leland 20 February 2017

Mildred Fish-Harnack (1902-1943) was translating A Legacy into English while in prison awaiting execution in Nazi Germany. She got as far as Your place is with the chosen few, when two guards came, handcuffed her, and escorted her to the guillotine. Mildred Fish-Harnack was the only American woman to be executed under direct orders from Adolf Hitler.

5 0 Reply
Bernard F. Asuncion 25 October 2017

Such a brilliant poem by Kohann Wolfgang von Giethe....

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Ruta Mohapatra 25 October 2017

Each line of the poem is memorable. 'Each single moment touch eternity'- how beautifully expressed!

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Ramesh T A 26 October 2017

What a heroic expression of prolific poetry from German poet Goethe! Wonderful to read his poem full of meaningful matters of life to cherish in heart!

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Naomi Waters 25 October 2017

This Is an incredible piece which combines both love, passion, and science! It has a great message and is smooth and very elegant. I will wake this piece as inspiration for my own future pieces. But I promise I wont copy trust me im not author who does stuff like that

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James Mclain 25 October 2017

Pretty smart man to know about atoms Back then.. iip... James

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Edward Kofi Louis 25 October 2017

Guide and make thee see! ! Thanks for sharing this poem with us.

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Kumarmani Mahakul 25 October 2017

Active in each is still the eternal Thought that motivates mind. No living atom comes at last to naught. The wise man hearkened to his own soul's voice is wise. Hero's choice is nice ever. This is wonderful and excellent poem...10

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Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Frankfurt am Main
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