When I have fears that I may cease to be

[marycatelli]

When I have fears that I may cease to be
    Before my pen has glean'd my teeming brain,
Before high-piled books, in charactery,
    Hold like rich garners the full ripen'd grain;
When I behold, upon the night's starr'd face,
    Huge cloudy symbols of a high romance,
And think that I may never live to trace
    Their shadows, with the magic hand of chance;
And when I feel, fair creature of an hour,
    That I shall never look upon thee more,
Never have relish in the faery power
    Of unreflecting love;--then on the shore
Of the wide world I stand alone, and think
Till love and fame to nothingness do sink.

John Keats

Comments

[osprey-archer.livejournal.com]

I love that poem. Keats is my favorite Romantic poet; he had more of a sense of proportion than the others, but no less passion.

[marycatelli]

Glad you like it.

[jongibbs.livejournal.com]

Sorry, I know it's Keats and I know it's wrong, but I can't hear the words 'cease to be' without thinking of Monty Python and the Parrot sketch.

[marycatelli]

My condolences.

For everyone else: see how important it is to avoid Monty Python? The damage can last for years!

[jongibbs.livejournal.com]

Thanks. I'd appreciate it if you'd bear that in mind if you ever decide to post anything with "The Knights Who Say" in the title too :)

[marycatelli]

I'll do my best, but Mnemosyne, I'm not.