The Text
Heaven, if you are not here on earth Where else could you be! If we ourselves cannot be gods Then there can be no gods! If we ourselves aren't heavenly nymphs The nymphs are not elsewhere!
While this roaring stream rushes fast Rolling surf at the edge of waves The tender sunshine leans on verdant gardens And then the gentle Sun - make this earth, heaven!
In the splendour of harvest and of moonlight Heaven lies all over! Imbibing and spilling the song of nectar The poet does create heaven on earth!
Glossary
| Word / Phrase | Meaning |
|---|---|
| nymph | a damsel; a beautiful heavenly maiden |
| heavenly nymphs | celestial maidens (apsaras) of mythology |
| roaring | making a loud, deep sound |
| surf / froth | foam on the waves |
| tender | soft, gentle |
| verdant | green with grass or rich vegetation |
| splendour | great beauty, grandeur |
| imbibing | drinking in, absorbing |
| spilling | pouring out |
| nectar | the drink of the gods; anything sweet and delightful |
Line-by-Line Explanation
Stanza 1
"Heaven, if you are not here on earth / Where else could you be!" The poet speaks directly to heaven (apostrophe). He is sure that heaven exists only here; there is nowhere else it could be.
"If we ourselves cannot be gods / Then there can be no gods!" God is not a being in a distant sky. Divinity lies within human beings. If people cannot rise to goodness and become godlike, there are no gods at all.
"If we ourselves aren't heavenly nymphs / The nymphs are not elsewhere!" In the same way, the beautiful maidens of heaven are not in another world. Beauty and grace are found in human beings on earth.
Stanza 2
"While this roaring stream rushes fast / Rolling surf at the edge of waves" The poet points to the energy of nature - the loud, fast stream and the foaming waves.
"The tender sunshine leans on verdant gardens / And then the gentle Sun - make this earth, heaven!" The soft sunlight rests lovingly on green gardens, and the gentle Sun shines over everything. These sights of nature make this earth heaven. The sunshine "leans" like a person (personification).
Stanza 3
"In the splendour of harvest and of moonlight / Heaven lies all over!" The golden richness of the harvest and the beauty of moonlight show that heaven is spread everywhere on earth.
"Imbibing and spilling the song of nectar / The poet does create heaven on earth!" The poet drinks in the beauty of nature and pours it out as sweet poetry - the "song of nectar". Through his art, he too creates heaven on earth.
Poetic Devices and Features
| Device | Example | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| Apostrophe | Heaven, if you are not here on earth | heaven is addressed directly |
| Personification | The tender sunshine leans on verdant gardens | sunshine acts like a caring person |
| Imagery | roaring stream; rolling surf; verdant gardens; harvest; moonlight | vivid pictures of sound and colour |
| Metaphor | the song of nectar | poetry is as sweet as the drink of the gods |
| Repetition / parallelism | If we ourselves cannot be gods … If we ourselves aren't heavenly nymphs | builds the argument step by step |
| Exclamation | Where else could you be! Heaven lies all over! | shows the poet's joy and conviction |
Form. A short lyric in free verse (translated), in three stanzas.
Tone. Joyful, confident and celebratory.
Theme. Humanism and love of nature - heaven, gods and nymphs are here on earth, in nature and in human beings. The poet, like nature, has the power to create heaven.