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100 Selected Poems: John Keats
One of the most notable romantic poets of the early nineteenth century, John Keats had a poetic career lasting less than a decade. And in this short time, he produced some of the greatest verses of all time.
This collectable edition brings together his early poems along with his finest sonnets and remarkably flawless odes composed in the years before his death. It includes ‘ Imitation of Spenser’ , ‘ To Lord Byron’ , ‘ A Fragment’ , ‘ Oh! how I love, on a fair summer’ s eve’ , ‘ I stood tip-toe upon a little hill’ , ‘ Sleep and Poetry’ , Endymion, ‘ Isabella’ , ‘ Lamia’ , his beautiful lyric odes composed in 1819, and both the versions of Hyperion.
Each poem is a specimen of his vibrant imagination, sensational lyric, and thoughtful recognition and appreciation of beauty in everything. "
This collectable edition brings together his early poems along with his finest sonnets and remarkably flawless odes composed in the years before his death. It includes ‘ Imitation of Spenser’ , ‘ To Lord Byron’ , ‘ A Fragment’ , ‘ Oh! how I love, on a fair summer’ s eve’ , ‘ I stood tip-toe upon a little hill’ , ‘ Sleep and Poetry’ , Endymion, ‘ Isabella’ , ‘ Lamia’ , his beautiful lyric odes composed in 1819, and both the versions of Hyperion.
Each poem is a specimen of his vibrant imagination, sensational lyric, and thoughtful recognition and appreciation of beauty in everything. "
- GenresPoetry
524 pages, Hardcover
Published January 8, 2019
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210 people want to read
About the author
John Keats
1,415 books2,530 followersRich melodic works in classical imagery of English poet John Keats include "
The Eve of Saint Agnes
," "
Ode on a Grecian Urn
," and "
To Autumn
," all in 1819.
Works of Percy Bysshe Shelley include "Adonais," an elegy of 1821 to John Keats.
Work of the principal of the Romantic movement of England received constant critical attacks from the periodicals of the day during his short life. He nevertheless posthumously immensely influenced poets, such as Alfred Tennyson. Elaborate word choice and sensual imagery characterize poetry, including a series of odes, masterpieces of Keats among the most popular poems in English literature. Most celebrated letters of Keats expound on his aesthetic theory of "negative capability."
Wikipedia page of the author
Works of Percy Bysshe Shelley include "Adonais," an elegy of 1821 to John Keats.
Work of the principal of the Romantic movement of England received constant critical attacks from the periodicals of the day during his short life. He nevertheless posthumously immensely influenced poets, such as Alfred Tennyson. Elaborate word choice and sensual imagery characterize poetry, including a series of odes, masterpieces of Keats among the most popular poems in English literature. Most celebrated letters of Keats expound on his aesthetic theory of "negative capability."
Wikipedia page of the author
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
January 5, 2022
4.75*
I love John Keats a lot, and reading this reaffirmed that for me. However reading this also made me realise that a) he needs to chill, & b) he sure did crank out a lot of poems complaining that he has nothing to write about, while writing poems about he has nothing to write about 🙂
I love John Keats a lot, and reading this reaffirmed that for me. However reading this also made me realise that a) he needs to chill, & b) he sure did crank out a lot of poems complaining that he has nothing to write about, while writing poems about he has nothing to write about 🙂
July 25, 2025
Lacking the common touch
Well, that was disappointing. I am ready to admit that this is an "It's not you -- it's me," case. Since I suspect that some other readers, even readers who love poetry, may likewise find Keats disappointing, I will try to explain why he disappointed me. Thus you can judge whether you, too, might suffer the same fate.
First thing to say is that the young John Keats was not really that great a poet. (By "young", I mean up to and including Endymion.) That, of course, is a judgment many readers will disagree with, but don't discount it! It was Keats's own judgment. In his preface to Endymion, he says "I apologize for the lousy work, but I just had to get this out of my system." (Obviously I'm paraphrasing.) You may dismiss that as false modesty, but I am more inclined to accept it as the judgment of a man who knew what he was talking about, especially because the quality of his poetry abruptly improves after Endymion.
Even then, however, there were two things about Keats's poetry that diminished my pleasure in it. The first is a simple cultural difference. Keats is immersed in Greek mythology, to the extent that it seems more real to him than his own England. I am not ignorant of Greek mythology. I know when Keats speaks of Cynthia, he means the Moon. It's a reference to Artemis, and for Keats it surely evoked many old, beautiful stories. For me, "Cynthia" is no more intrinsically poetic than "Moon", and less so than Francis of Assissi's "Sister Moon".
The second thing that bothered me is that a lot of Keats's poetry is about poetry and poets. OK, I get it -- I'm a scientist, and if I write poetry, my enthusiasm for science is going to come through. But Keats is so focused on poetry and poets, rather than the common world we all inhabit, that it feels like self-indulgent navel-gazing.
To summarize in a quick phrase, Keats lacks the common touch. In this he contrasts for instance with, say, Robert Browning and Shakespeare. Let me finish by saying that, even for me, there is some great stuff in here!
Blog review.
Well, that was disappointing. I am ready to admit that this is an "It's not you -- it's me," case. Since I suspect that some other readers, even readers who love poetry, may likewise find Keats disappointing, I will try to explain why he disappointed me. Thus you can judge whether you, too, might suffer the same fate.
First thing to say is that the young John Keats was not really that great a poet. (By "young", I mean up to and including Endymion.) That, of course, is a judgment many readers will disagree with, but don't discount it! It was Keats's own judgment. In his preface to Endymion, he says "I apologize for the lousy work, but I just had to get this out of my system." (Obviously I'm paraphrasing.) You may dismiss that as false modesty, but I am more inclined to accept it as the judgment of a man who knew what he was talking about, especially because the quality of his poetry abruptly improves after Endymion.
Even then, however, there were two things about Keats's poetry that diminished my pleasure in it. The first is a simple cultural difference. Keats is immersed in Greek mythology, to the extent that it seems more real to him than his own England. I am not ignorant of Greek mythology. I know when Keats speaks of Cynthia, he means the Moon. It's a reference to Artemis, and for Keats it surely evoked many old, beautiful stories. For me, "Cynthia" is no more intrinsically poetic than "Moon", and less so than Francis of Assissi's "Sister Moon".
The second thing that bothered me is that a lot of Keats's poetry is about poetry and poets. OK, I get it -- I'm a scientist, and if I write poetry, my enthusiasm for science is going to come through. But Keats is so focused on poetry and poets, rather than the common world we all inhabit, that it feels like self-indulgent navel-gazing.
To summarize in a quick phrase, Keats lacks the common touch. In this he contrasts for instance with, say, Robert Browning and Shakespeare. Let me finish by saying that, even for me, there is some great stuff in here!
Blog review.
August 11, 2023
It’s extremely difficult to understand medieval literature, that too poetry. But I loved some parts of it and then of course odes were beautiful.
John Keats died at a very young age and his poetry was not appreciated at the time he was alive, it’s sad to see how we want to control the pen.
John Keats died at a very young age and his poetry was not appreciated at the time he was alive, it’s sad to see how we want to control the pen.
March 30, 2020
When things weren't really that good, this book seemed like a nice way to get lost with, and I have to admit that it didn't disappoint me at all!
There were some poems where things seemed to be stretched too far, but he must've had a pretty good reason behind it too!
In the end, I can happily say that Keats is one of the better poets I've ever read, and it was a privilege to get to devour his writings!
There were some poems where things seemed to be stretched too far, but he must've had a pretty good reason behind it too!
In the end, I can happily say that Keats is one of the better poets I've ever read, and it was a privilege to get to devour his writings!
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February 15, 2023The book is a collector's piece, housing the most beautiful collection of Keats. The book feels luxurious to ones who do not read Keats, and a comfort to everyone who has always looked for answers in works of poets who lived through much worse in life.
December 2, 2025
This volume is a good representation of John Keats' poetry, one of the greatest poets of the English language and an example of greatness in world literature through poems such as its four great odes, some of his sonnets, and longer poems; though, all of Keats's is full of splendor and good verse.
What would have happened if he had lived ten or twenty more years? One can only imagine the poetic possibilities when one reads this book and sees the magnificence of many of his poems.
This is a book for the library of any person reading in English today. Highly recommended.
What would have happened if he had lived ten or twenty more years? One can only imagine the poetic possibilities when one reads this book and sees the magnificence of many of his poems.
This is a book for the library of any person reading in English today. Highly recommended.
zzz-dnf
May 20, 2023Dnf @5%, will pick up again l8r
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews