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