Poems from Different Epochs – Collection with Analysis

Author: Andreas Gryphius
Year of origin: 1637
Theme: Transience, vanitas motif, search for meaning in the face of death
Stylistic devices: Antithesis, alliteration, metaphor, anaphora
Short interpretation:
This famous poem exemplifies Baroque poetry and the transience of all earthly things. Gryphius uses numerous opposites to highlight the fragile existence of humanity. The recurring emphasis on the vanity of all things underlines the Baroque idea of vanitas. Metaphors such as “What one builds today, another will tear down tomorrow” convey the insecurity and fleeting nature of existence. The poem calls for focusing on transcendental values, as everything worldly is doomed to decay.
⚙ barock

Author: Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
Year of origin: 1771
Theme: Love, experience of nature, pain of parting
Stylistic devices: Personification, symbolism, comparisons, vivid color adjectives
Short interpretation:
Goethe's poem deals with the passion and contradictory feelings of the lover. Nature reflects the emotional turmoil of the lyrical self. Personifications (“the dark path”) and colorful imagery like “rain of blossoms” underscore the experience of nature. In contrast to “Welcome” and “Farewell”, the feeling of being torn between euphoria and grief becomes clear. The poem embodies the central motifs of Sturm und Drang: intense emotions and merging with nature.
⚙ sturmdrang

Author: Joseph von Eichendorff
Year of origin: 1835
Theme: Longing, merging of nature and soul, transcendence
Stylistic devices: Metaphor, personification, alliteration, symbolism
Short interpretation:
“Moonlit Night” is the epitome of Romantic poetry. Eichendorff places the connection between humans and nature at the center of the poem. The moonlit night is given its own soul (“the world so still, as if it were the stillness of death”). Stylistic devices like metaphor (“the earth dreamed”) and symbolism (moon as a carrier of longing) create a magical, melancholic atmosphere. The lyrical self experiences an inner journey and merging with nature, reflecting the Romantic core idea of the unity of human and cosmos.
⚙ romantik

Author: Jakob van Hoddis
Year of origin: 1911
Theme: Threat, catastrophe, decay of the civilized world
Stylistic devices: Irony, hyperbole, parallelism, cipher
Short interpretation:
The poem depicts an apocalyptic catastrophe in an exaggerated manner. Its modernity is expressed through the use of irony (“Most people are missing the roof”) and hyperboles (“The trains fall off the bridges”). Forms such as parallelism increase the dramatic effect. Everyday situations are contrasted with an impending world catastrophe, making the poem reflect the general uncertainties and anxieties of the modern age.
⚙ moderne

Author: Nora Gomringer
Year of origin: 2011
Theme: Contemporary feeling, deceleration, inner restlessness
Stylistic devices: Enjambment, repetition, irony, wordplay
Short interpretation:
Gomringer's poem deals with the desire for peace in a loud, hectic world. Recurrent phrases and enjambments create a sense of continuity and simultaneous halting. The irony of the "Silent Land" highlights the conflict between desire and reality. The language is pointed, humorous, and critical at the same time. It invites reflection on one's own life and the desire for deceleration—a central motif of contemporary poetry.
⚙ gegenwart