Wednesday, February 23, 2011

*On the Birthday of John Keats

Finally! I've been on something of a dry spell lately, but thinking about one of my favorite poets has inspired this little piece. This is also my ticket onto the Poetry Bus, where 120 Socks has given some excellent prompts, including the one I chose -- "amber." You can read other bus poets here.



















ON THE BIRTHDAY OF JOHN KEATS

Some things deserve to be captured,
frozen for all of time,
made more precious by framing
in the lens of the mind.
Like fragments enclosed in amber
or beauty and truth in rhyme,
some things deserve to be captured,
frozen for all of time.


* Today is actually the anniversary of Keats' death, but I like the title, and so I'll keep it. Maybe I'll post this again next Halloween, the actual birthday of John Keats. (Thanks to my daughter with the Ph.D. in English Literature for setting me straight. I knew there was some reason I had Keats on my mind...now, I'm thinking that death is a birth of sorts, so maybe I wasn't far off!)
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11 comments:

  1. LouiseFebruary 23, 2011 at 6:16 AM

    You couldn't pick a better inspiration, loved this Karen. Your seat is safe on the bus!

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  2. the walking manFebruary 23, 2011 at 6:24 AM

    Beauty is truth, truth beauty...yes that is all of beauty that I of the earth need to know.

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  3. UnknownFebruary 23, 2011 at 10:39 AM

    Some things do deserve this foray into the eternal. Nicely put.

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  4. Joseph HarkerFebruary 23, 2011 at 12:29 PM

    Didn't even know it was his birthday, thanks for the tip! And a lovely little poem besides, whose sentiment I quite agree with. :)

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  5. Enchanted OakFebruary 23, 2011 at 6:58 PM

    Your poem is a preservation of Keats in itself. I missed the Bus this week. Had not a poem or a thought in me but grief. I like Walking Man's comment. Thank you for your kind words on my blog, Karen. They strengthen me.

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  6. The BugFebruary 24, 2011 at 1:54 PM

    I love the poem - it's true that some things SHOULD be remembered. I'm feeling irreverent as usual & wondering if Keats is on the website of historical men who are hot (I read about it on a blog yesterday). He was pretty cute!

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  7. Tess KincaidFebruary 24, 2011 at 3:33 PM

    Funny, I watched Campion's "Bright Star", not realizing it was his birthday.

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  8. KarenFebruary 25, 2011 at 5:31 AM

    Socks - Thanks for letting me aboard, and thanks for the great prompts.

    TWM - Exactly! Well said!

    Kim - Welcome, and thank you!

    Joseph - The joke was on me! It was actually the anniversary of his death when I wrote this. I decided that I like the title so much that I'll keep it.

    Chris - Hugs to you, my friend. xoxo

    Bug - I'm with you, but if you think Keats is hot, you should see Rossetti. I fell in love with him in high school. A thing of beauty is a joy forever!!!

    Tess - Not his birthday, his death day. Still, your watching it on that day is a little eerie.

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  9. TitusFebruary 25, 2011 at 6:16 PM

    Fabulous use of the repeated lines. So unobtrusive, yet insidious, the sound and rhythm work on the mind. And they are the frame. Beautifully done.

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  10. KarenFebruary 25, 2011 at 8:37 PM

    Titus - Thanks, JoAnne!

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  11. JulieFebruary 28, 2011 at 10:17 AM

    Karen, this is awesome. I agree with you. Some things deserve to be captured and cherished. Keats is definitely one of them.

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