Bertolt Brecht's Poems: Top 10

George Alvarez 31-05-2023
George Alvarez

Eugen Berthold Friedrich Brecht was a great German poet, director and playwright of the 20th century. Even in his youth he was already writing poems against the imposed standards in art and life. From here we will show you 10 poems by Beltolt Brecht and the messages that we can draw from them.

"The mask of evil"

On my wall is a Japanese wooden sculpture

Mask of an evil demon, covered in gold enamel.

Understanding I observe

The dilated forehead veins, indicating

How tiring it is to be bad.

We begin Bertolt Brecht's poems with a reflection on the significant effort to do evil Although it may seem simplistic, the concept of good and evil is as old as reason itself. Basically, Brecht exposes that doing evil is always a tiring and exhausting exercise.

Bearing in mind that society repudiates behavior like this, those who practice bad actions see everything else as the enemy. The sense of isolation, anger, and rebellion constantly drain their life force and their very reason. Being a bad person is easy, but despite the effort, it is much more worthwhile to go the opposite way.

"The Changing of the Wheel"

I am sitting on the side of the road,

the driver changes the wheel.

I don't like where I come from.

I don't like where I'm going.

Why I eye the wheel change

with impatience?

Being more attentive to Bertolt Brecht's work, poems make a deep reflection about life itself. In this case, it exposes a person's discontent with her own place in the world. She doesn't fit in anywhere she is either because she doesn't know which place to go .

There is a certain haste to get nowhere because the adversities on the way add little to the reflection. Paying attention to the character's short journey, it is clear that he does not have an objective, a goal to follow. Because of this, he is distracted by so little, even though he longs for change. Have you ever felt this way?

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"The good deeds"

Doesn't bashing the next guy always get tiresome in the end?

Jealousy causes an effort that swells the veins in the forehead.

The hand that reaches out naturally gives and receives just as easily.

But the hand that grasps eagerly quickly hardens.

Ah! how delicious it is to give!

To be generous, what a beautiful temptation!

A good word springs forth softly like a sigh of happiness!

Bertolt Brecht's poems clarify a very important dynamic in life about knowing how to give. This is because it is common for many people to cling to what they have, showing greed and ignoring the idea of sharing On the other hand, knowing the meaning of generosity helps to nurture:

Reciprocity

People who recognize the generosity of others have a special class on how to change their attitude and multiply what they have. On this path, they know how to behave reciprocally and harmoniously between themselves and others. Especially children, who already grow up amidst these good examples.

Gratitude

Being grateful to those who have helped us and given to us is an almost enlightened response, because you recognize the love of the other. When you are in a more prosperous and festive situation, you will naturally remember the people who helped you get there.

"From Buckow's elegies"

A wind came

I could set sail.

See_also: Victimization: meaning in the dictionary and in psychology

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Missing candle

I would make one out of cloth and stick.

Though carrying a classic literary beauty, Bertolt Brecht's poems had their humorous edge. In the words above, Brecht encourages all of us to be creative and improvise when necessary in any situation .

But looking at it from other perspectives, we also take away that we shouldn't get complacent and need to take advantage of opportunities. But don't wait for the perfect moment to do something about yourself. The right moment is when we have the certainty of what we need to achieve our dreams.

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"I always thought"

And I always thought: the simplest words should suffice.

When I tell it like it is, everyone's heart will be torn.

That you will succumb if you do not defend yourself

You'll see.

We can look at I always thought and associate the poem with the idea of sincerity and its consequences Many people do not know how to deal with the truth said by others, whether it is good or not. Even if they are simple things, they can be enough to cause pain and emotional wounds in the listener.

However, the way of exposing it also counts a lot for the reception and understanding of the message. Many end up using the sincerity rudely, and the way of speaking hurts more than the message itself. It is important to choose what to say, how to say it, and when to say it, so that there are no misunderstandings and indirect aggressions.

"Reading Horace"

Even the flood did not last forever.

The moment came when the black waters receded.

Yes, but how few survived!

Words were Bertolt Brecht's favorite weapons, his poems being his endless ammunition for his criticism. Whether dealing with art or life, he did not spare himself from analyzing pains and failures. In relation to this work, exhibits that not all of us can cope with the great upheavals that life brings .

The "deluge" of your work is all the problems that someone or a group can experience at any stage of life. Not everyone is prepared to deal with it or even recover from it. So if it is worth the lesson for us to learn:

Resilience

Resilience is about, besides recovering, knowing how to confront your problems without being destroyed by them. It's not about becoming insensitive, but rather being able to deal with and understand your role in all of this. For maturation, it's an excellent path to walk.

Patience

Any situation, no matter how bad, will not last forever and your concern should follow suit. So learn to live with your problems while also mounting solutions to deal with them.

"The One Born After"

I confess: I have no hope.

The blind speak of a way out, I see.

After mistakes have been used as our last companion, in front of us sits nothingness.

Perhaps this is among the most pessimistic Bertolt Brecht poems ever written by the author. The blindness described would not be something physical, but perhaps emotional and human in the social sense. These are the people who still insist on paths that for some will not lead anywhere .

This voice may be referring to the idea of seeing reality as it is without any expectations on top of it. To be direct, without frills, or avoid being realistic and face the facts as they are in nature. For her, those who seek an outlet for something they don't have are depriving themselves of seeing the truth.

"Those who fight"

"There are those who fight one day; and for that they are very good;

There are those who struggle many days; and so they are very good;

There are those who struggle for years; and they are even better;

Yet there are those who fight all their lives; those are the indispensable ones."

In short, people who do not continually strive can never be the best version of themselves that they could We don't glamorize suffering, not at all, but we shouldn't settle for what we see and should always go for growth.

"Those who don't know help"

How can the voice coming from the houses

Be that of justice

If the yards are uninhabited?

How can he who teaches the hungry other things not be a swindler

What not the way to abolish hunger?

He who does not give bread to the hungry

Want violence

Who in the canoe does not have

Place for those who drown

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He has no compassion.

Those who don't know help

Let it shut up.

Among Bertolt Brecht's poems, this one teaches us the maximum value gained from empathy. It is necessary to put yourself in the other's shoes, in order to understand their needs, pain and suffering When we don't choose to do this, we leave one of the fundamental pillars of what it is to be a human.

"Expelled for a good reason"

I grew up as a son

From wealthy people. My parents

They put a collar on me, and educated me

In the habit of being served

And I was taught to give orders. But when

When I was grown up, I looked around me

I didn't like the people in my class and joined

To little people.

Finally, Expelled for a good reason reveals Brecht's dissatisfaction with segregating social behavior. The same stands as an example of an education where there were people to be served and those who serve It is certainly one of Bertolt Brecht's poems that most reflects the moment in which we live.

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Final considerations on Bertolt Brecht's poems

Bertolt Brecht's poems reveal his unique and rich perception of reality itself Although they are beautiful, their essence points out our shortcomings as humans and citizens. It is a criticism of our way of being within a society that values inadequate pillars.

Based on this, we have two paths to follow with Bertolt Brecht: beautiful poems that challenge our way of life. While we review our way of doing things, we enjoy a cultural product of the highest quality.

Besides Bertolt Brecht's poems, another way to review our posture is with our online Psychoanalysis course It is the tool you need to polish your posture, review your obstacles, but also reach your potential. Through a well worked out self-knowledge, you can better see your needs and refine your choices.

George Alvarez

George Alvarez is a renowned psychoanalyst who has been practicing for over 20 years and is highly regarded in the field. He is a sought-after speaker and has conducted numerous workshops and training programs on psychoanalysis for professionals in the mental health industry. George is also an accomplished writer and has authored several books on psychoanalysis that have received critical acclaim. George Alvarez is dedicated to sharing his knowledge and expertise with others and has created a popular blog on Online Training Course in Psychoanalysis that is widely followed by mental health professionals and students around the world. His blog provides a comprehensive training course that covers all aspects of psychoanalysis, from theory to practical applications. George is passionate about helping others and is committed to making a positive difference in the lives of his clients and students.