"When I was a boy
Often a god would save me
From the shouts and blows of men."
In "When I was a boy," Hölderlin speaks about the role of nature in his childhood. While he suffered among the "shouts and blows of men," he found comfort and happiness in nature, which he sees as the realm of the divine. In his poetry, Hölderlin often offers a very personal account of religion and faith, showing how it has impacted his own life in a unique way.
"With ripening yellow pears
And full of wild roses
The land hangs in the lake."
Hölderlin is known for his beautiful descriptions of nature, illustrated with rich imagery and metaphors. Here, he describes the "yellow pears," and the "wild roses," which emphasizes nature's beauty and sets a pastoral scene. He ends this description with describing the land as hanging in the lake, a beautiful way of describing the reflection of the land.
"I was raised by the sounds
of the rustling grove
And learned to love
Among the flowers."
Hölderlin reveals here the impact of nature upon his boyhood. He states that he was "raised" by elements of nature, such as the "rustling groves," presenting nature as a parental figure, and a source of knowledge. Generally, Hölderlin's poetry is concerned with what we can learn from the natural world, presenting it as a great teacher, often personified by various conceptions of God and the divine.
