THE SEVEN-FOLD COLUMNS OF THE FIRST GOETHEANUM
(Written in hexameter, by Katherine Rudolph : The vowels are to be intoned in German out of the wisdom of the concordances, as given by Rudolf Steiner.)
There is a sequence of sound – engraved in the firstGoetheanum.
Hear, as the intervals ring, – ‘mankind will inherit the highest.’ Columns, that carry and hold – metamorphosis, meaning, and structure;
Manifest changes in world – evolution, from Saturn to Venus.
Flow and develop the seed – to fruition, forever in motion!
DAS ES – IT – Saturn – Prime – U – (German, as in ‘loom’)
Resting, as seed in its sounding – the Prime knows a mystery hidden
Deep in the realm of the source – like Saturn, it calls for completion.
AN ES – ON IT- SUN – Second – O
Yes, on the path it awakens – develops from primary grounding.
Just as the root and the seedling – experience growth, bound in wonder!
So out of oneness emerges – the second, the Sun’s evolution;
Freely, it rings out the Quest – in its quickening pulse’s vibration.
IN ES – IN IT – Moon – Third – AH
Widening more into movement – it reaches the Third’s inner swinging.
Leaf after leaf lives in nature – the seedling is gaining effulgence.
Moon-like is intimate selfhood – in harmony with its own feeling;
ICH – I – Mars – Fourth – OE – (German, as in ‘hurt’)
Venturing in it grows smaller – and hardens to dwarf-like proportions.
Finally touching itself – does the Fourth pull its forces together,
As it turns inside out, – to orient and to refashion.
Mars-like, its testing of strength, – for the trial that is bound to be coming.
Closed, as a bud, yet it gathers – momentum to jump up much higher!
VOM ICH – FROM THE I – Mercury – Fifth – E – (German, as in ‘make’)
Taking the dare it ascends – to link up the past to the future
Human, evolve in the Fifth – confront, face to face, new surroundings.
Present age of mankind! – ‘Now hearken and heal all the bloodshed;
Warfare and strife must be ended –for here in the earth evolution
Peace must prevail at the last – for such is the way of progression’
Mercury’s dialogue breathes – it exhales, heady fragrances forming.
AUS MIR – Out of My Selfhood – Jupiter – Sixth – IU – (German, as in ‘hue’)
Blossoming into the Sixth – it longs, in light-ether abounding,
Seeking the fire of fruition – and keening to know heaven’s answer,
Jupiter’s wisdom will give – all it has for the deed of becoming.
ICH IN ES – I WITHIN IT – Venus – Seventh – EE – (German, as in ‘seed’)
‘Burn in the fire of the spirit’– sounds Venus, ‘for love is prevailing!
Sacrifice now to the Septime – and slough off the dross for the essence.’
New are the seeds, a new future, – transforming the human entirely!
Mood of the small Cupola – Vulcan – Octave – U – (German, as in ‘loom’)
Enter now into the Realm – the small Cupola rings with the Octave.
Hearken and utter the Word. – Create in the space that’s provided
Chronicles ringing in sound – are recorded in colour and measure.
Vulcan will crown the creation – for the Octave transcends to the Godhead.
(See:Das Farbenwort,Hilde Raske, Freies Geistesleben,Stuttgart,1983, (259-265)