First published 2017
This collection presents seven major poems by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe in fresh English translations. The volume includes "Prometheus," where the defiant titan challenges the gods, and "Ganymede," which captures a youth's ecstatic union with Zeus. "Song of the Soul over Water" explores the human spirit through the metaphor of flowing water, while "The Wanderer's Lullaby" follows a restless traveler seeking peace. "The Metamorphosis of Plants" reveals Goethe's scientific vision of botanical transformation rendered in verse. "Blessed Yearning" confronts themes of death and renewal, and "Cloud Poems in Honor of Luke Howard" celebrates the meteorologist who first classified cloud formations. Award-winning poet Patrick Whalen collaborates with Frederick Amrine to bring these works into contemporary English while preserving their emotional power and philosophical depth.
Genres: 20th-century, poetry, 19th-century, academic
Vibes: intimate, lyrical, thought-provoking
Tropes: literary-fiction
Period: 19th-century, 20th-century
39 pages · Paperback · Independently published