Poems of John Keats

by Stanley Kunitz (Editor)

Genres: Poetry

Hardcover

First published June 1, 1964

About the author

Stanley Jasspon Kunitz was an American poet. He was appointed Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry to the Library of Congress twice, first in 1974 and then again in 2000.

Reviews

[Lauren · Rating 3 out of 5]

Love Keats’ poems. Guess I’m not a fan of how this book is set up

[Reality-whoneedsit · Rating 4 out of 5]

loved this little book of poems and exerpts. the book included a short biography and personal letters which i found facinating

[C. · Rating 5 out of 5]

The poetry in the book is beautiful, rich with emotion and vivid imagery. I recommend this book as a quick, relaxing, and very enjoyable.

[Christopher · Rating 5 out of 5]

I picked up this book because it was referred to in an essay by Edward Ricketts entitled "The Philosophy of Breaking-Through". The poem, 'Ode to an Nightingale' was specifically cited as an example of a moment in which we become greater than ourselves, in which we get a glimpse of our part in the overall pattern. This experience has practical value. In those moments where we lose ourselves we are given the chance to act free of the petty divisions which prevent us from participating in the whole. I believe that Ricketts was correct in choosing that poem as an example but I found another line that certainly points the way. In 'On the Grasshopper and Cricket' Keats writes, "The poetry of earth ceases never". To paraphrase Whitman: "poems demand that the reader transpose himself or herself into every line" - isn't this a way of experiencing the pattern from the position of the entire? If the earth is poetic and we have to but just listen, isn't every moment an opportunity to engage with the pattern?

I did not read every single poem in this volume - I read most of them, and they were grand. If the reader of this review does not already do it I strongly suggest hunting down and reading or listening to the literature and music referred to by writers. It is a wonderful way to enrich a life and expand the horizons.