“Da ich ein knabe war” (When I was a boy) is a poem written by Friedrich Hölderlin, a German romantic poet who lived from 1770 to 1843. Much of Friedrich Hölderlin’s works center on Greek mythology and syntax, going beyond an appreciation of the Classics, Friedrich is often thought to have truly believed in these Gods, intertwining them with the strict Lutheran beliefs that he was raised upon. Later in life, Hölderin would experience intense physical and mental illness that drove him to insanity. His work was very influential in the field of philosophy, referenced by thinkers like Friedrich Nietzsche and Martin Heidegger. 

“When I was a boy” was one of Hölderlin’s early works, and follows a more structured form of writing compared to his later works later in life. The poem is a recollection of his childhood, as well as a celebration of the Greek Gods, who he found in every part of nature. He describes these fond memories with different facets of nature; the trees, plants, flowers, the moon, and the sky as moments of teaching by the Gods and an attempt to reach out to him. He relishes in the beauty of the natural environment around him and shares his love for the Gods he associates with it. Hölderlin reminisces on the sights and sounds of nature that he claimed to have raised him, completing the poem with the line “I grew up in the arms of gods”.

Hölderin created his works during the German Romantic period, the post-Enlightenment era that focused heavily upon the celebration of the natural world and its connection to God. While most Romantic artists center upon a Christian God or make light reference to classical mythology, Hölderlin explicitly connected the Greek Gods of nature to his environment. Consistent with the Romantic ideals of the time, Hölderlin deeply emphasizes the beauty of his environment, using divine language and describing it as a teacher to mankind. 

This historical perspective on nature was a major development in German history and culture. Poems that celebrate the forest as a spiritual place made room for its deeper appreciation as a place of beauty and the unknown. Giving meaning to the forest beyond being a material resource encouraged people to protect and respect it.  Poetry like Hölderlin’s can convey a vivid experience of nature as one would encounter it, something a scientific or material perspective could not offer. This poem gives modern readers a window into the passion and admiration Romantic thinkers had for their forests and the world around them.