A meditative, lyrical and emotional poem of twenty chapters.
A schoolmaster takes a long walk in the evening on the shores of a lake thinking of one of his students. The author noticeably misses the young boy – he longs to feel his presence, talk to him, watch him play carefree with his peers.
The author’s thoughts then drift off to more poetic images of beauty and purity, ancient rulers, and ultimately his own youth. The schoolmaster seeks to be an inspiration for the boy, share with him his knowledge and passion for learning, deeply instill in him a love of nature.
The author regrets that the boy is only a temporal concept of beauty embodied in a graceful youth, which is deemed to wither with time, but he finds solace in the fact that this ultimate beauty is immortal and thus is secure. He also fears for the boy’s future, considering the latest political events and the shocking aftermath of the WWI, and wishes his young friend all the best in life, thanking him for the innocent affection he so kindly bestowed on the aging schoolmaster.
