Faust, an elderly man, sells his soul to the devil (Mephisto) to experience the pleasures of youth again...
The great master poet Johann Wolfgang von Goethe's play “Faust,” Part One, inspired me to compose a poem in a contemporary setting, to show the protagonist’s will to possess, and as a result a woman’s dilemma.
Each triplet in italic is from the original, paraphrased by me.
Faust and Gretchen
𝙏𝙖𝙠𝙚𝙣 𝙛𝙞𝙚𝙧𝙘𝙚 𝙥𝙖𝙞𝙣𝙨, 𝙛𝙧𝙤𝙢 𝙚𝙣𝙙 𝙩𝙤 𝙚𝙣𝙙.
𝙉𝙤𝙬 𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙚 [𝙝𝙚 𝙞𝙨], 𝙖 𝙛𝙤𝙤𝙡 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙨𝙪𝙧𝙚!
𝙉𝙤 𝙬𝙞𝙨𝙚𝙧 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙣 [𝙝𝙚] 𝙬𝙖𝙨 𝙗𝙚𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙚:
His thought sober, unspoken, he gazes at a solo flyer,
An eagle going up higher and higher into a calm
Morning sky. He feels the fire of a wish to be as wise,
To leave behind earth-bound views, mortal design’s,
False luster, shattering happenings in youth, and
Paralyzing gloom of mentally destructive moods,
Absorbed by an overriding desire for love and wisdom
True, to saturate his mental attire, he scans the broad
Horizon anew. From the heavens at last he hears
An angelic voice: “Love knows the longings of your
Heart. “Be strong! Fear not!"
This—a brief message, and rich with healing flare
Gives him courage and with forward, easy air,
He calls the one he knows most fair.
[𝙃𝙚 𝙞𝙨] 𝙣𝙤𝙩 𝙥𝙡𝙖𝙜𝙪𝙚𝙙 𝙗𝙮 𝙙𝙤𝙪𝙗𝙩 𝙤𝙧 𝙨𝙘𝙧𝙪𝙥𝙡𝙚,
𝙎𝙘𝙖𝙧𝙚𝙙 𝙗𝙮 𝙣𝙚𝙞𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙃𝙚𝙡𝙡 𝙣𝙤𝙧 𝘿𝙚𝙫𝙞𝙡 –
𝙄𝙣𝙨𝙩𝙚𝙖𝙙 𝙖𝙡𝙡 𝙅𝙤𝙮 𝙞𝙨 𝙨𝙣𝙖𝙩𝙘𝙝𝙚𝙙 𝙖𝙬𝙖𝙮 . . .
Now and here he keeps her in his keen sight.
At length they meet; this is the chance for his desire,
To be near her is his way to join an inner fire!
She, in soft shades retires as his intense love abides,
Buoyant with love he yields to love’s demands
In bright light’s enchantment—love on fire has
Commandments: “Be tender, thoughtful, deluge with
Rapture!” Skirting his loins, he pines, “What we have
Transcends a downward pull, and lifts us to
New heights. I love you hundred fold, of all
The women I knew, God knows I love you most,
It is you who makes me feel whole!
She reflects: “I see … but wait, dear”— she ponders,
“To what height of soaring should we wander?”
𝙏𝙤 𝙨𝙚𝙚 𝙞𝙛, 𝙩𝙝𝙧𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝 𝙎𝙥𝙞𝙧𝙞𝙩 𝙥𝙤𝙬𝙚𝙧𝙨 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙡𝙞𝙥𝙨,
[𝙃𝙚] 𝙢𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩 𝙝𝙖𝙫𝙚 𝙖𝙡𝙡 𝙨𝙚𝙘𝙧𝙚𝙩𝙨 𝙖𝙩 [𝙝𝙞𝙨] 𝙛𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙚𝙧𝙩𝙞𝙥𝙨.
𝘼𝙣𝙙 𝙣𝙤 𝙡𝙤𝙣𝙜𝙚𝙧, 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙧𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙞𝙙 𝙨𝙬𝙚𝙖𝙩 . . .
Within his heart burning—turning, “O amazing
Moments gloriously bright, my love, you are the light
Of my life.” She pauses … on the brow of time she
Reads the sign: “Love’s commencement a temporary
Madness, its oath of dauntless power an intoxicating
Wine.” His voice resounds: “My love, why hush?
Why make a pause as if waiting for dark clouds to part?
The tone of your voice speaks of doubts, doubts make
Trust debark.”
She entreats him, “Dear,” with an urgent
Plea, “Explain: You gave hints of flirtatious stints,
Reckless plays with simulated fire, women beautiful,
You said, you desire. You have as friends a group of
Birds for your delight—of one you spoke as funny, light,
And sweet, and enjoyed her near your seat on a flight.”
[𝙃𝙚] 𝙗𝙞𝙣𝙙𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙬𝙤𝙧𝙡𝙙’𝙨 𝙞𝙣𝙣𝙚𝙧𝙢𝙤𝙨𝙩 𝙘𝙤𝙧𝙚 𝙩𝙤𝙜𝙚𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧,
𝙎𝙚𝙚 𝙖𝙡𝙡 𝙞𝙩𝙨 𝙬𝙤𝙧𝙠𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙨, 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙞𝙩𝙨 𝙨𝙚𝙚𝙙𝙨,
𝘿𝙚𝙖𝙡 𝙣𝙤 𝙢𝙤𝙧𝙚 𝙞𝙣 𝙬𝙤𝙧𝙙𝙨’ 𝙚𝙢𝙥𝙩𝙮 𝙧𝙚𝙚𝙙𝙨 . . .
Deep in her throat she cries: “What does that mean?
Strange to say you are flirtatious, even though
You spoke of your own nature godly wise.”
A sigh, “Do you think of God so slight? Do you expect me to condone a playfulness so wild?This is false, and a wrong bestows no peace of mind.”
Defensive—he turns and winks. … She thinks:
“He does as if he cannot hear, or wish not
To see the Iight. O innocence, what is my lot? Is this
Empty air surrounding me, a plot, and his wooing the
Fiddle of his art?” Thus she bears in mind the concerns
Of her heart, however, she feels his tenderness
Dispenses bliss; her eyes soft, they blink; she needs to
Understand or sink — “Gracious Truth, please reply!”
𝘼𝙝! 𝙄𝙛 𝙤𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙢𝙤𝙪𝙣𝙩𝙖𝙞𝙣 𝙝𝙚𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩
[𝙃𝙚] 𝙢𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩 𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙞𝙣 [𝙝𝙚𝙧] 𝙨𝙬𝙚𝙚𝙩 𝙡𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩,
𝙁𝙡𝙤𝙖𝙩 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙎𝙥𝙞𝙧𝙞𝙩 𝙞𝙣 𝙢𝙤𝙪𝙣𝙩𝙖𝙞𝙣 𝙘𝙖𝙫𝙚𝙨 . . .
“Is not God’s will a constant guide as joyful unity
Provides eternal happiness the bride?”
He speaks again, “My dearest, have no fear, be patient
With a mother’s son! Even though this is a dark day —
One thing is sure—it is my love for you!”
As she within grapples, he in-tune with her, dazzles,
“Are you alright?” His caressing voice gently
Persuasive, puts her at ease, and she finds peace.
“My love be bold, perilous notions banish,
Most challenges are over least important
Points, best to let them vanish. There, you see,
Our love is soaring.” With a voice full of passion,
His behavior—rising, falling, dashing, “You are with
Me, it’s all that counts, I’ll keep my arms around.”
𝙏𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙞𝙨 [𝙝𝙞𝙨] 𝙬𝙤𝙧𝙡𝙙! 𝘼𝙣𝙙 𝙬𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙖 𝙬𝙤𝙧𝙡𝙙!
𝘼𝙣𝙙 𝙣𝙚𝙚𝙙 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙖𝙨𝙠 𝙬𝙝𝙮 [𝙝𝙞𝙨] 𝙝𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙩
𝙈𝙖𝙠𝙚𝙨 𝙨𝙪𝙘𝙝 𝙩𝙧𝙚𝙢𝙤𝙧𝙨 𝙞𝙣 [𝙝𝙞𝙨] 𝙗𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙨𝙩? . . .
Brilliant sunlight, sea breeze blowing, her mind out of
A haze, thus her voice is raised,
“Can you hear me?” Asking with a sober gaze, “Is an accomplished creature, one like an eagle so unlike himself? To speed through vast
Skies to apply your wit to earthly gains, worldliness and
Fun? Such feebleness. … And what a pun? Please, tell me
The purpose of such a one?” He now in plain words tells her of his own demise: “I am at odds with a former wife, she is a bird of a different feather; disproves of my routines in life. Her fettered mass pitiless applies to loveless working of inflicted lies, removing those by words
Heartless, … a callous power of the human mind,
Bustling with friendships of various kind, she
By intent a charming socialite.”
𝙒𝙝𝙮 𝙖𝙡𝙡 [𝙝𝙞𝙨] 𝙡𝙞𝙛𝙚-𝙚𝙣𝙚𝙧𝙜𝙞𝙚𝙨 𝙖𝙧𝙚
𝘾𝙝𝙤𝙠𝙚𝙙 𝙗𝙮 𝙨𝙤𝙢𝙚 𝙪𝙣𝙠𝙣𝙤𝙬𝙣 𝙙𝙞𝙨𝙩𝙧𝙚𝙨𝙨?
𝙎𝙢𝙤𝙠𝙚 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙢𝙞𝙡𝙙𝙚𝙬 𝙝𝙚𝙢 𝙝𝙞𝙢 𝙞𝙣 . . .
Alas, her mate one of the most commanding birds in
The Sky, and as such appears as a highly valued plum
On her feathery bun, in the company of dim lights —
He calls to apologize, and explains, “You would have
To once in a while forgive me for some blunder,”
Casually phrasing, “I think of you with gratitude and
Wonder, you are a blessing set apart.” He then, having
Said this starts his flight to the river where his
Former wife and his child, in a country cottage reside.
Led by the ways of love, Love’s counsel brings release:
“I know you long to see her face, go after her! Don’t go in hiding. Have your peace.” He obeys, as an eagle
Discreetly upward gliding, his yearning for her makes
Him spy, and as he finds her, he cries: “My dearest,
𝙒𝙝𝙚𝙣 𝙄 𝙠𝙣𝙤𝙬 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙧𝙧𝙮 𝙧𝙤𝙖𝙙,
𝘼𝙣𝙙 𝙉𝙖𝙩𝙪𝙧𝙚, 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙞𝙣𝙨𝙩𝙧𝙪𝙘𝙩 𝙢𝙚,
𝙈𝙮 𝙨𝙤𝙪𝙡’𝙨 𝙥𝙤𝙬𝙚𝙧, 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙨𝙝𝙖𝙡𝙡 𝙛𝙡𝙤𝙬 . . .
Why are you cautious, and circumspect with respect
To me? I know, it’s conditioned by trouble caught …we
Can talk,
As you correctly thought about our feelings,
Without holding back, please let us return to that
Enthusiastic sharing, to hear the sparkle
In our voices and the shear love in oneness daring.” Ho!
On lifting swells of joy she glides but still takes it all
In thoughtful stride, and cheerfully replies,
“The worth of love at our side is the strongest force in life,
And it is our one and only might!” Straightway he
Admires, “You are so wondrously wise, I knew it when
I saw you at first sight, let's rejoice, recapture, and
Continue our journey towards even closer ties, and
To be more grateful for the evidence of so much joy.”
𝘼𝙝! 𝙄𝙣 𝙖 𝙢𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩, 𝙬𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙗𝙡𝙞𝙨𝙨 𝙛𝙡𝙤𝙬𝙨
𝙏𝙝𝙧𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝 [𝙝𝙞𝙨] 𝙨𝙚𝙣𝙨𝙚𝙨 𝙛𝙧𝙤𝙢 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨
𝙎𝙞𝙜𝙣! [𝙃𝙚] 𝙛𝙚𝙚𝙡𝙨 𝙡𝙞𝙛𝙚’𝙨 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙩𝙝𝙛𝙪𝙡, 𝙝𝙤𝙡𝙮 𝙟𝙤𝙮: 𝙞𝙩 𝙜𝙡𝙤𝙬𝙨 . . .
She, “Generous heart, you take my breath apart, know,
With gladness I have spoken of a friendship as
Unbroken.” He answers with delight,
Speaking in a deep
Voice: “Let us sail the winds of pure love’s token,
In our own heavenly world so bright.”
Epilogue
Passion fills the mind with pain,
Is as death to the beguiled heart.
Where are the hours of innocence and belonging?
EMH (September 27, 2013)
