Luis Uhland / José Antonio Ramos Sucre

Ludwig Uhland

Ludwig Uhland was one of the most eximious poets of the 19th century. A sagacious critic contrasts him against the acerbic Heinrich Heine, because of the contrary character of his tender and gentle poetry; and later on explains the origin of their respective inspirations in this manner: due to the pleasures of wine Euterpe set aside her gravity, and transformed herself into a bacchant. Crazed, she descended to earth, and with a kiss communicated unhealthy inspiration to an adolescent, who eventually became the unfortunate Heinrich Heine. When she regained her serenity, the muse hoped to compensate for the influence of her funest action, infusing with another kiss and in another mortal a beneficial breath. So she descended to the country of Swabia, and rewarded Ludwig Uhland with the gift of a happy poetry.




First published in Renovación, no. 3, Caracas, 20 May 1916.




{ José Antonio Ramos Sucre, Obra completa, Caracas: Biblioteca Ayacucho, 1989 }