By Hermann Hesse
Though there is strife and terror,
and all is shattered to pieces,
and hate is unleashed among men,
and nothing is safe any more—
still, your star shines within you,
your fate is still in your hands,
your peace is only you,
and everything you may need.
And if you leave it,
and seek in cities and books,
your heart will still remain alone,
and you will learn nothing new.
But if you turn inward,
your strife will cease to be strife,
your need will be as a light,
and your fate a joyful gift.
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“Immer in dir” (Always in You) is the poem that Hermann Hesse often refers to with the Latin phrase “Media in vita” (In the midst of life), which comes from a famous Latin chant (Media vita in morte sumus — “In the midst of life, we are in death”). Hesse’s poem is short, profound, and reflects his themes of inner searching and solitude. This poem is highly regarded for encapsulating Hesse’s philosophy of finding truth and peace internally, regardless of external chaos.
—MP