A PRELUDE IN RHYME.
Project Gutenberg EPUB3 edition
Nietzsche, Friedrich Wilhelm, Levy, Oscar, Cohn, Paul V. (Paul Victor), Common, Thomas, and Petre, Maude Dominica
41. Heraclitism. Brethren, war's the origin Of happiness on earth: Powder-smoke and battle-din Witness friendship's birth! Friendship means three things, you know,— Kinship in luckless plight, Equality before the foe Freedom—in death's sight!
42. Maxim of the Over-refined. "Rather on your toes stand high Than crawl upon all fours, Rather through the keyhole spy Than through the open doors!"
43. Exhortation. Renown you're quite resolved to earn? My thought about it Is this: you need not fame, must learn To do without it!
44. Thorough. I an inquirer? No, that's not my calling Only I weigh a lot—I'm such a lump!— And through the waters I keep falling, falling, Till on the ocean's deepest bed I bump.
45. The Immortals. "To-day is meet for me, I come to-day," Such is the speech of men foredoomed to stay. "Thou art too soon," they cry, "thou art too late," What care the Immortals what the rabble say?
46. Verdicts of the Weary. The weary shun the glaring sun, afraid, And only care for trees to gain the shade.
47. Descent. "He sinks, he falls," your scornful looks portend: The truth is, to your level he'll descend. His Too Much Joy is turned to weariness, His Too Much Light will in your darkness end.
48. Nature Silenced[3] Around my neck, on chain of hair, The timepiece hangs—a sign of care. For me the starry course is o'er, No sun and shadow as before, No cockcrow summons at the door, For nature tells the time no more! Too many clocks her voice have drowned, And droning law has dulled her sound.
49. The Sage Speaks. Strange to the crowd, yet useful to the crowd, I still pursue my path, now sun, now cloud, But always pass above the crowd!
50. He lost his Head.... She now has wit—how did it come her way? A man through her his reason lost, they say. His head, though wise ere to this pastime lent, Straight to the devil—no, to woman went!
51. A Pious Wish. "Oh, might all keys be lost! 'Twere better so And in all keyholes might the pick-lock go!" Who thus reflects ye may as—picklock know.
52. Foot Writing. I write not with the hand alone, My foot would write, my foot that capers, Firm, free and bold, it's marching on Now through the fields, now through the papers. 53. "Human, All-too-Human." ... Shy, gloomy, when your looks are backward thrust, Trusting the future where yourself you trust, Are you an eagle, mid the nobler fowl, Or are you like Minerva's darling owl?
54. To my Reader. Good teeth and a digestion good I wish you—these you need, be sure! And, certes, if my book you've stood, Me with good humour you'll endure.
55. The Realistic Painter. "To nature true, complete!" so he begins. Who complete Nature to his canvas wins? Her tiniest fragment's endless, no constraint Can know: he paints just what his fancy pins: What does his fancy pin? What he can paint!
56. Poets' Vanity. Glue, only glue to me dispense, The wood I'll find myself, don't fear! To give four senseless verses sense— That's an achievement I revere!
57. Taste in Choosing. If to choose my niche precise Freedom I could win from fate, I'd be in midst of Paradise— Or, sooner still—before the gate!
58. The Crooked Nose. Wide blow your nostrils, and across The land your nose holds haughty sway: So you, unhorned rhinoceros, Proud mannikin, fall forward aye! The one trait with the other goes: A straight pride and a crooked nose.
59. The Pen is Scratching.... The pen is scratching: hang the pen! To scratching I'm condemned to sink! I grasp the inkstand fiercely then And write in floods of flowing ink. How broad, how full the stream's career! What luck my labours doth requite! 'Tis true, the writing's none too clear— What then? Who reads the stuff I write?
60. Loftier Spirits. This man's climbing up—let us praise him— But that other we love From aloft doth eternally move, So above even praise let us raise him, He comes from above!
61. The Sceptic Speaks. Your life is half-way o'er; The clock-hand moves; your soul is thrilled with fear, It roamed to distant shore And sought and found not, yet you—linger here! Your life is half-way o'er; That hour by hour was pain and error sheer: Why stay? What seek you more? "That's what I'm seeking—reasons why I'm here!"
62. Ecce Homo. Yes, I know where I'm related, Like the flame, unquenched, unsated, I consume myself and glow: All's turned to light I lay my hand on, All to coal that I abandon, Yes, I am a flame, I know!
63. Star Morality[4] Foredoomed to spaces vast and far, What matters darkness to the star? Roll calmly on, let time go by, Let sorrows pass thee—nations die! Compassion would but dim the light That distant worlds will gladly sight. To thee one law—be pure and bright!
Source notes
[1] Translated by Miss M. D. Petre.
[2] A and O, suggestive of Ah! and Oh! refer of course to Alpha and Omega, the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet.—TR.
[3] Translated by Miss M. D. Petre.
[4] Translated by Miss M. D. Petre.