To a Golden Heart that he Wore Round his Neck
The poem is a meditation on the fleeting nature of human life and the inevitability of death. The speaker reflects on a golden heart that he wears around his neck, symbolizing the transience of love and life. He notes how it was once full of warmth and vitality but has now grown cold and still. The poem explores themes of mortality, loss, and the passage of time.
By Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe · First published 1771 · Genre: Lyric Poetry, Romanticism, Elegy · 180 words
First lines
[Addressed, during the Swiss tour already mentioned, to a present Lily had given him, during the time of their happy connection, which was then about to be terminated for ever.]
OH thou token loved of joys now perish'd
That I still wear from my neck suspended, Art thou stronger than our spirit-bond so cherish'd?
Or canst thou prolong love's days untimely ended?
What this Textopian page supports
To a Golden Heart that he Wore Round his Neck is listed on Textopian as a poem by Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe, dated 1771 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Poem
- Author: Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe
- Date: 1771 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Lyric Poetry, Romanticism, Elegy, Philosophical Poetry, Nature Poetry
- Length: 180 words
- Structure: 1 section, 11 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)
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- Work identity for To a Golden Heart that he Wore Round his Neck by Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe
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- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
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- On by John Keats
- Nothing Gold Can Stay by Robert Frost
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- A Blown Rose by Madison Cawein
- Perhaps Youd Like To Buy A Flower by Emily Dickinson
Genres
- Lyric Poetry — The work expresses deep personal emotions and reflections, characteristic of lyric poetry.
- Romanticism — Themes of love, nature, and individual emotion align with the Romantic movement.
- Elegy — The poem reflects on loss and nostalgia, typical of elegiac themes.
- Philosophical Poetry — The exploration of love and existence suggests philosophical undertones.
Tags
Poem · Romanticism · Nature · Symbolism · Heart · Necklace · Golden · Metaphor · Allegory · Love · Beauty · Inner Life