Poet 2/52 - John Keats Part 3

I am writing later than usual today, because I accidentally slept in. Or, to put it another way: a week’s worth of waking in the middle of the night finally caught up with me, and I barely made it out the door on time with the children this morning on our respective way to school and work. Whoops! Anyhow, Keats and I are here now, and the first poem I’d like to spend time with is “Ode on a Grecian Urn”.

I have always thought that the true definition of the word ‘ode’ should read as follows: a chance to expound over multiple stanzas on something which normally would not require that much analysis or conversation. Despite my inherent wariness, this particular ode has some lovely language and a very catchy quote:

“Beauty is truth, truth beauty”- that is all
Ye know on earth, and all ye need to know.

Well, the part in quotes is catchy. It is a particularly noble sentiment. Considering this now, as opposed to freshman English, I am confronted by the realization that not all truths are beautiful. In fact, many of them are uglier than hagfish. But, Keats was an idealist after all.

I have no such updated realization on the first two lines of the first stanza:

Thou still unravish’d bride of quietness,
Thou foster-child of silence and slow time

It’s basically a vase we’re talking about here. What on God’s green earth is Keats talking about here? These are words that sort of work together if you don’t think too hard about it. In fact, I’m going to stop thinking about it. It gives me a brain-ache.

Moving directly along.

Next up is a sonnet, a much nicer sort of poem than an ode, in my estimation, if for no other reason than that it is limited in the number of lines the author can present the reader with. "When I have fears that I may cease to be" is a nice sonnet, about being afraid of dying before you achieve all your dreams, hopes and plans and that you will have to leave your beloved too quickly. It is still valid. Thjavascript:void(0)ese are good points. It was a long day at work though and I’m tired. It’s a good sonnet- his best. Read it.

I follow up with “A thing of beauty is a joy forever”, from Endymion (Book 1) . This is a very long poem, at 992 lines. There’s a story there, a long narrative that continues in Endymion. The part which is most worth attention, if you don’t have hours for poetic contemplation, are the first 5 lines:

A thing of beauty is a joy for ever:
Its loveliness increases; it will never
Pass into nothingness; but still will keep
A bower quiet for us, and a sleep
Full of sweet dreams, and health, and quiet breathing.

This, to me, embodies the most Romantic ideals, and I love, love, love the language. Beauty is eternal, and I crave that type of sleep: restful and soothing, much as beautiful objects are aesthetically pleasing and soothing to the soul.

In total, Keats’ work holds up well to the test of time. I’m glad I rediscovered it.

Next Poet: 3/52 – W.H. Auden (who I offhand cannot name a single poem created by him)