Classic and Contemporary Poetry
ODE ON MELANCHOLY, by JOHN KEATS Poem Explanation Poet Analysis Poet's Biography First Line: No, no, go not to lethe, neither twist Last Line: And be among her cloudy trophies hung. Variant Title(s): On Melancholy Subject(s): Melancholy; Dejection | ||||||||
No, no, go not to Lethe, neither twist Wolf's-bane, tight-rooted, for its poisonous wine; Nor suffer thy pale forehead to be kiss'd By nightshade, ruby grape of Proserpine; Make not your rosary of yew-berries, Nor let the beetle, nor the death-moth be Your mournful Psyche, nor the downy owl A partner in your sorrow's mysteries; For shade to shade will come too drowsily, And drown the wakeful anguish of the soul. But when the melancholy fit shall fall Sudden from heaven like a weeping cloud, That fosters the droop-headed flowers all, And hides the green hill in an April shroud; Then glut thy sorrow on a morning rose, Or on the rainbow of the salt sand-wave, Or on the wealth of globed peonies; Or if thy mistress some rich anger shows, Imprison her soft hand, and let her rave, And feed deep, deep upon her peerless eyes. She dwells with Beauty -- Beauty that must die; And Joy, whose hand is ever at his lips Bidding adieu; and aching Pleasure nigh, Turning to poison while the bee-mouth sips: Ay, in the very temple of Delight Veil'd Melancholy has her sov'reign shrine, Though seen of none save him whose strenuous tongue Can burst Joy's grape against his palate fine; His soul shall taste the sadness of her might, And be among her cloudy trophies hung. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...BALLAD OF THE LADIES OF OLDEN TIMES by FRANCOIS VILLON THE FOUR HUMOURS by RAFAEL CAMPO DEJECTION by ROBERT SEYMOUR BRIDGES THE DEATH OF THE FLOWERS by WILLIAM CULLEN BRYANT DEJECTION: AN ODE by SAMUEL TAYLOR COLERIDGE MELANCHOLIA by PAUL LAURENCE DUNBAR A DREAM, AFTER READING DANTE'S EPISODE OF PAULO & FRANCESCA by JOHN KEATS |
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