Allein von Hermann Hesse

Allein
von
Hermann Hesse

Es führen über die Erde
Strassen und Wege viel,
Aber alle haben
Dasselbe Ziel.

Du kannst reiten und fahren
Zu zwein und zu drein,
Den letzten Schritt
Mußt du gehen allein.

Drum ist kein Wissen
Noch Können so gut,
Als daß man alles Schwere
Alleine tut.

 Alone
by
Hermann Hesse

There lead over the earth
Streets and ways many,
But all have
The same goal.

You can ride and travel
By two and by three,
(But) the last step
You must go alone.

So there is no knowledge
Nor skill / ability so good,
But that one everything difficult
(must) alone do.


Now try the online Quiz with fill-ins.
Hangman Activity with words from the poem
Scrambled Words Activity using words from the poem

Audio reading of the poem (.wav)
Machine produced reading of the poem (.wav) or

Learn more about Herman Hesse's Life and Work.
Nobel Prize in Literature 1946 Acceptance Speech and Autobiography

NOTE: I am well aware of the fact that the English rendering above is terribly awkward and inelegant. I've chosen to try to follow the German closely for the sake of my beginning students' language understanding.

http://www.mrshea.com/genial