Paula references W.B.Yeats in her April Words of Wisdom with a quote where he sees life as a spiral leading upward.
The German poet Hermann Hesse, just twelve years Yeats’ junior, expressed a very similar thought when he said:
We are not going in circles, we are going upwards.
The path is a spiral; we have already climbed many steps.
This spiral is part of the treetop walkway near Bad Wildbad in the Black Forest and is in fact, a slide. Incidentally this amazing structure is just 20 km away from Hesse’s birthplace, Calw.
Hesse’s poem Stufen (Steps) presents similar ideas, urging us to leave finished stages behind and start anew.
As every blossom fades
and all youth sinks into old age,
so every life’s design, each flower of wisdom,
attains its prime and cannot last forever.
The heart must submit itself courageously
to life’s call without a hint of grief,
A magic dwells in each beginning,
protecting us, telling us how to live.
This natural sculpture by the Taiwanese artist Lee Kuei-Chih is part of the Waldkunstweg (forest art walk) in Darmstadt. It is called “Circular Column”.
.
..
.
.
pictures imperfect blog 
Thank you very much for sharing this poem, Elke. In my youth I read Siddhartha and Steppenwolf. I wasn’t familiar with this poem. Really inspiring coincidence between Yeats and Hesse. Beautiful pairing with the treetop walkway and the natural sculpture. Beautiful captures. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
That treetop walkway was stunning. Only problem: we didn’t drive there, we hiked there and didn’t carry a camera, only my phone. I’m glad you like the post.
LikeLike
Didn’t know this poem…
LikeLiked by 1 person
The line “For each beginning bears a special magic” must be one of the most quoted lines of German poetry although I doubt that many people know the whole poem.
LikeLiked by 1 person