Poetics: generations

Andreas Gryphius
German Lyric Poet: born 1616 (1664)

Poetics

Quoting Humanisms

I am very interested in the problem of generations. A dear old friend recently sent me this fragment of a poem by Andreas Gryphius, a

survivor of the 30 years war in what became known as Prussia. (11  October 1616 – 16 July 1664).

Each healing breath in lost thin air must end;
Those who replace us follow us to the grave.
What can I say?
We fade like smoke in a hard wind.