Tuesday, February 27, 2018

Poor Keats...

27 February 2018: "Forgive me if I wander a little this evening, for I have been all day employ’d in a very abstract Poem and I am in deep love with you, two things which must excuse me." --John Keats, in a letter to Fanny Brawne

We are tackling Keats' letters in ENGL 311 on Thursday and the lines quoted above made me smile. I can imagine Fanny's face when she read them, as the sentence took the turn from high-minded excuse (working on a "very abstract Poem") to an excuse that must have made her grin and maybe sigh. I also appreciate the insight on Keats' mind--his ability to be occupied by two very different yet related concepts: the work he wants to do and the love he has for this woman.

You can read more of the letters here. And careful readers will also notice in this particular letter language/ideas that appear in "Bright Star."

Sorry for two romantic/tragic posts in a row (and I am being silly with my back-to-back post titles), but what can I say?

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