I have often been asked by teachers: How do you teach lyric poetry? An answer is found in my Notes to a number of the poems. The chief prerequisite is a warm love for the poets: nowhere is enthusiasm more contagious. A few introductory remarks will open the world of the poem to the student. The teacher must, of course, develop in the students their latent rhythmical sense both by example and precept. Aside from this lyric poetry teaches itself.
As to the use of the book I should suggest spending two or three weeks on one or two poets—I should begin with Goethe—and after that spend one hour a week for a semester or even a year. Some poems could be assigned for outside reading and then a group of poems be discussed in class.
On the whole I have limited myself to those poets that to-day stand out as preëminent. A possible exception is the once famous Rückert. I could not resist the temptation of including his Aus der Jugendzeit, a poem of consummate beauty, Rückert's one perfect lyric. Time has been relentless in its winnowing process. But if Geibel, Wilhelm Müller and Bodenstedt have given way to Mörike, Keller and Hebbel, we assuredly have no reason for lament. If this little book help to win in our schools for these three and for Storm, C. F. Meyer, and Liliencron the recognition they deserve, I shall feel richly repaid for this labor of love.
Spring of 1921,
Madison, Wisconsin.
FRIEDRICH BRUNS.
CONTENTS
Goethe
1. Willkommen und Abschied
2. Mailied
3. Auf dem See
4. Heidenröslein
5. Wanderers Nachtlied
6. Ein gleiches
7. Hoffnung
8. Erinnerung
9. Gefunden
10. Mignon
11. Harfenspieler
12. Der König in Thule
13. Der Fischer
14. Erlkönig
15. Gesang der Geister über den Wassern
16. Grenzen der Menschheit
17. Lied des Türmers
Schiller