Wednesday, October 9, 2013

I reference this poem all the time, one of my favorites

On First Looking into Chapman's Homer
By John Keats
 
 
Much have I travell'd in the realms of gold,
And many goodly states and kingdoms seen;
Round many western islands have I been
Which bards in fealty to Apollo hold.
Oft of one wide expanse had I been told
That deep-brow'd Homer ruled as his demesne;
Yet did I never breathe its pure serene
Till I heard Chapman speak out loud and bold:
Then felt I like some watcher of the skies
When a new planet swims into his ken;
Or like stout Cortez when with eagle eyes
He star'd at the Pacific—and all his men
Look'd at each other with a wild surmise—
Silent, upon a peak in Darien.

3 comments:

john said...

James, in what context do you reference this poem? Great poem btw.

Unknown said...
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Unknown said...

Usually when speaking of the inadequacy of the writer in terms of producing things that are "new." I imagine that this goes along with the "Anxiety of Influence" thing that you and another professor have mentioned to me. I believe I used it in an informal response to a piece of writing regarding plagiarism, and one of my presentations on "literature." Also it has informed a few of my short stories.

(last comment deleted due to spelling errors)