SOURCE: Hering, Christoph. “The Genesis of an Abstract Poem: A Note on August Stramm.” Modern Language Notes 76, no. 1 (January 1961): 43-8.

In the following essay, Hering provides an analysis of Stramm's poem, “Werben,” that focuses on the techniques Stramm used to write abstract poetry.

The reader of modern German poetry will all too often encounter impersonal and, as it seems, unrelated statements that are difficult to interpret. Most present day forms of poetic diction had already been used in Expressionism; August Stramm's poem “Werben,” for example, were it not for its title, would hardly suggest that it deals with Man's vain struggle in pleading for Woman's love.¹

“werben”

Geheimnis bogt das Tor Erde Himmel harren! Harren! Auf schließt dein Blick! Blend wirrt und greift und tastet Krampf in leeren Händen. Dein Lächeln wehrt. Verschlossen blickt das Tor. Mein Harren harrt und Gott und Himmel pochen! 

There...