This essay deals with Klages's metaphysics in order to exhibit its intrinsic "poetic" character. The essay consists of three parts. The first is devoted to a discussion of Klages's main work: Der Geist als Widersacher der Seele. The central theme of this work is the metaphysical contraposition between life (soul) and "Geist" (will). In dealing with this contraposition Klages brings to light the difficulties inhering to the very nature of the problem, while at the same time developing interesting possibilities for its solution. Among these there is a reconsideration of Klages's psychology in the light of his metaphysical presuppositions since, according to Klages, the "Ego" is the only ground on which soul and "Geist" can meet them selves.
The second part of the essay has the purpose to put into relief the "poetic" character of Klages metaphysical structures. The soul, as direct experience of life is the "place" of encounter with images of reality which are rhythmically produced by life itself. This encounter between soul and image, as well as that which, is brought to life through the encounter, appear under a poetic and artistic light. The artistic dimension however, emerging as the deep substratum of Klages's metaphysics, is not to be understood in terms of traditional aesthetics. On the contrary, Klages's reflections invite to a view of traditional aesthetics as a "spiritual production" and the meeting of soul and image is interpreted as an abandoning of aesthetics as the science of beautiful. Within this perspective the reflections on the intrinsic poetic character of primitive life (as that of the pelasgian) in its sacredartistic aspects, acquires a particular importance.
After some considerations on the roll of the language in the Klages's system and after a short analysis of the interrelationships existing between that system and the heritage of the German romanticism, the essay comes to an end with a third part dedicated to the dialectic "Geist"/"poetic". Is "poetry" possible in the age of "Geist"? What, in the end, the limits and prospects in Klages's metaphysics?
A bibliographic and bibliographic appendix closes the research.