Happy Birthday, John

Born today in 1795, John Keats.

On first looking into Chapman's Homer

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 on 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.

And although this may seem frivolous, I can't help but add it ... From Ed Gaillard's page of weirdly assorted but amusing stuff:

Much have I travell'd through the realms of toast,
And many goodly jams and jellies seen;
Round many western omelets have I been
Which chefs as specialities of the house boast.
Oft I've been told of bread light as a ghost
That, deep-brown'd, has a flavor marv'lous keen:
Yet never did I eat its pure serene
'Till I had Saffron bread -- sweet honey-gold.
Then felt I like some hunter scanning skies,
When a new game-bird flies into his ken;
Or like stout Prudhomme, when with many tries
He first baked chile-cornbread -- his sous-chefs then
Look'd at each other with a wild surmise --
Silent, before a grill in New Orleans.

(My favorite is Captain Haiku vs the Arch-Villanelle...)