“Nietzsche”, a poem by William Walstein Gordak


Clarence Lee Swartz / Monday, February 12th, 2018

The following poem appeared in Clarence Lee Swartz’s journal “I” (1898), issue No.5 of January 1899.
Today we posted the most information online about a rare early English language Nietzschean journal, edited by Thomas Common. “Why is Thomas Common so absolutely ignored?” was already being asked in 1913, when he was still alive, and alas, it has only gotten worse.


Nietzsche.

I sneezed, —it was his name;
He is a great philosopher,
But then, —I am the same,
And deal much less in metaphor.

I am not overmuch
In love with overmen;
Who hanker after such
Are simple folk, but then—

If think they that he meant
Themselves the overclod,
That is quite different,
Much different, God Lord!

—William Walstein Gordak,
published in “I”, No.5, January 1899

 

Become a patron at Patreon!