There is an old poem by Goethe -- "Limitations of Mankind," or "Grenzen der Menschheit" that warns of exactly the same thing before the space age ... reach too high, and the winds mock and sweep one into the sea to drown ... but you are right: it is the HEAD that is the problem...
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Good poem. I suppose there is a little Icarus to it too:)
That's it! I learned it in German, through the music of Schubert, and then studied it out in English. For your listening pleasure, the great German basso profondo Kurt Möll, singing "Grenzen Der Menschheit."
Alas ... U have a smattering of French and Spanish but no German.
I have German, a smattering of Spanish, but no French ... and French has some beautiful poems and songs too... alas indeed, that we cannot speak all languages!
These days gaining a translation is easy though:)
To go back to your original poem ... English is still close enough to German that it would be understandable across Google Translate, but it really does take an eye for both languages to see how your poem and Goethe's "rhyme," pun intended, across the centuries... and Icarus, too
I'm amazed by Molière translations. Not only were rhyme n meaning preserved, but comic timing.Translations R derivative works, but that does not mane they R not also works of art, sometimes even superior works.
Yes it is ... but also not ... poetry depends so much on idioms ... for example, I am familiar enough with German, and it is close enough to King James English, to know the translation of Goethe you found is just about right ... but Google Translate would have mangled that...
I find that DeepL is quite a bit better ... but poets have souls ... computer translation is good, and is easy, but has no soul.
This poem was for fun; altho I think the craft is good; tight. But not representative my style, if I have one. I usually write free verse, but t even with free verse, there must be a pleasing rhythm and melody or the poem both sounds and appears disjointed and lifeless.