Sunday, September 10, 2006
Isabella's pot of basil.
(this is a famous painting by holman hunt of isabella and her pot of basil, when u fifnish reading the poem u'll understand it, the detail is unbelievable)
This poem is one of my all time favorites, it's called isabella or pot of basil it's a narrative poem, by john keats (who i have a love and hate realtionship with, love: for pot of basil and hate: for writing To Autumn which I was forced to study for my igcse english lit). The story is a beautiful love story about a rich girl who falls in love with one of her workers called Lorenzo. It is a tragic poem, bas i don't wanna mess it up for anyone who would like to read it, I highly recommend it.
***
Fair Isabel, poor simple Isabel!
Lorenzo, a young palmer in Love's eye!
They could not in the self-same mansion dwell
Without some stir of heart, some malady;
They could not sit at meals but feel how well
It soothed each to be the other by;
They could not, sure, beneath the same roof sleep
But to each other dream, and nightly weep.
***
I love this descrption of isabella's brothers. How does each person who reads this understand it and how can they relate to it?
***
With her two brothers this fair lady dwelt,
Enriched from ancestral merchandize,
And for them many a weary hand did swelt
In torched mines and noisy factories,
And many once proud-quiver'd loins did melt
In blood from stinging whip;--with hollow eyes
Many all day in dazzling river stood,
To take the rich-ored driftings of the flood.
***
For them the Ceylon diver held his breath,
And went all naked to the hungry shark;
For them his ears gush'd blood; for them in death
The seal on the cold ice with piteous bark
Lay full of darts; for them alone did seethe
A thousand men in troubles wide and dark:
Half-ignorant, they turn'd an easy wheel,
That set sharp racks at work, to pinch and peel.
***
Why were they proud? Because their marble founts
Gush'd with more pride than do a wretch's tears?--
Why were they proud? Because fair orange-mounts
Were of more soft ascent than lazar stairs?--
Why were they proud? Because red-lin'd accounts
Were richer than the songs of Grecian years?--
Why were they proud? again we ask aloud,
Why in the name of Glory were they proud?
***
I leave each person to understand this poem how the will. As my wonderful english lit teacher Ahsia always told me each person relates to literature differently the only thing that makes it right or wrong is how much evidence u use or lack of it.
2:20 AM
Ace
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