Who gave us the sponge to wipe away the horizon?

–The Gay Science by Friedrich Nietzsche

To The Unknown God

Once more, before I move on
I am directing my gaze forward
In loneliness, I am lifting my hands
Up to Thee, to whom I flee,
To whom I, from the deepest bottom of my heart
Solemnly consecrate altars
So that, at all times,
His voice would call me again.

Thereupon, written deeply inside, the word
Is blazing like fire: To the unknown God:
I am his, even if I remained with the horde of the infidels
Up to this hour:
I am his – and I feel the ties
That pull me down in fight
And, even if I should flee,
Still would force me into his service.

I want to know Thee, Unknown One
Thou, who is reaching deeply into my soul,
Who is raging through my life like a storm
Thou Unfathomable One, akin to me!

I want to know Thee, and serve Thee.

The poem was composed by a young Friedrich Nietzsche for his graduation speech from Pforta School (1864).  He describes himself fleeing, pursued by a God that he does not know. The poet feels a rage within.  He cannot outrun this nameless presence. Still he’d like to build some altar, somewhere, somehow in order to know and to serve this unknown God.

The opening quotation of this post (Who gave us the sponge…) is taken from the parable of the madman written by a mature Nietzsche in The Gay Science (1882).

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What song is fitting to carry us onward?  This by U2, Where The Streets Have No Name.  This one never grows old, iconic of our times.