Nietzsche's poetry contained in his literary estate (Nachlass) spans primarily the years 1854 to 1864, that is, from the time he lived in Naumburg through the time he graduated from the Schulpforta Gymnasium.1 I also examine several poems and musical compositions he wrote in Bonn, Leipzig, and Basel.

Nietzsche's search for self-understanding is manifest in his poetry, prose, and drama. A short poem written in 1858 captures Nietzsche's search for self:

Nietzsche wrote a number of poems to himself. For example, “Zum Geburtstag” (For My Birthday, 1859), which he wrote at the age of fifteen, illuminates some positive experiences in Pobles, the home of his maternal grandfather (NA I/2, 93–95):

The feeling of being truly at home is expressed in many of early Nietzsche's depictions of nature. Limbs of an oak tree spread out vibrantly, and birds sing (NA I/2, 94). Colorful images and the music of nature evoke a plenitude of emotions:

Divine, domestic locations also fill the poet with burning aspirations (“Mit feurigem Streben”) that rekindle the gleam that was lost when being away from home. In Pobles, Nietzsche found traces of his childhood that calmed his yearning for home, kindled images of youth, and cultivated truth and virtue. The poet also felt the enlivening and uplifting breath of the Lord.