Thursday, November 27, 2008

John Keats: Endymion -First Stanza

A thing of beauty is a joy forever:
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.
Therefore, on every morrow, are we wreathing
A flowery band to bind us to the earth,
Spite of despondence, of the inhuman dearth
Of noble natures, of gloomy days,
Of all the unhealthy and o'er darkened ways
Made for our searching: yes, in spite of all,
Some shape of beauty moves away the pall
From our dark spirits. Such the sun, the moon,
Trees old and young, sprouting a shady boon
For simple sheep; and such are daffodils
With the green world they live in; and clear rills
That for themselves a cooling covert make
' Gainst the hot season; the mid-forest brake,
Rich with a sprinkling of fair musk-rose blooms:
And such too is the grandeur of the dooms
We have imagined for the mighty dead;
All lovely tales that we have heard or read:
An endless fountain of immortal drink,
Pouring unto us from the heaven's brink.

I thought this stanza by John Keats fit our story here-what do you think. I hope to have much more poetry to accentuate our story. Extra credit goes to whoever can tell me which album cover the Henri Fantin-Latour painting is on-it is called 'A Basket of Roses'.
John Keats (1795-1821) lived only 25 years. Yet his poetic achievement is extraordinary. Most of his major poems were written between his twenty-third and twenty-fourth years. In this brief period he wrote poems that rank him as one of the great English poets. He also wrote letters which T.S. Eliot calls "the most notable and the most important ever written by any English poet."

4 comments:

Alex Robinson said...

I do like this weaving of poetry into your writing.

I have not read a great deal of poetry, altho there is a book I have always loved that was dedicated to John Keats & it starts with his poem 'O Solitude.' Woven into that story is the most beautiful poem I have ever read - I doubt it comes up to literary standards but it sings in my heart.

Devin said...

wise woman-soglad to see you here-i am on a differnt computer than my own that is very hsrd to type on-so my comments will be short for once -hehe
anything that sings to your heart is the only thing that matters
i have found that too long in this place resonates deeply with my heart-i left a comment on your 9-27-08 post -'knickers' peace and be well!-Devin

Michael Skaggs said...

Very inspring Devin!

Am taking a Turkey Day break right now at my moms to visit a few of my favorite people--the bloggers!

I used to write poetry on a regular basis, but I was taken a bit with inspiration back then, which I have yet to recapture in the present. Maybe I am on my way through inspiration from the blog sphere.

Enjoy your day!
Be well or how about "Healthy Self" [Heal Thy Self] ;)

Devin said...

Enjoy your break, Michael-you deserve it! I would love to see an example of your poetry -unless it is very private to you. I could never have been a poet-but there are so many I love out there.
While my health is holding up and no net connection problems I am thinking of posting a backgroud post to the Antinous story tonight-it may be here in the small hours of the morning-don't know yet.
Thanks so much for stopping by and enjoy your holiday-peace and be well!-Devin