Poem 10 — 100 Days of Poetry
About the Poem:
Fill For Me a Brimming Bowl by John Keats is a passionate poem that delves into themes of love, memory, and desire. Written in 1814, this lesser-known work of Keats reveals a powerful inner conflict as the poet longs to forget a lost love. The vivid and emotional language expresses the tension between romantic ideals and the desire for escape.
John Keats (1795–1821) is considered one of the greatest Romantic poets, and his works are known for their depth of feeling and rich imagery. Fill For Me a Brimming Bowl is a testament to his ability to capture the complexities of love and loss.
Fill For Me a Brimming Bowl — John Keats
Fill for me a brimming bowl
And in it let me drown my soul:
But put therein some drug, designed
To Banish Women from my mind:
For I want not the stream inspiring
That fills the mind with—fond desiring,
But I want as deep a draught
As e'er from Lethe's wave was quaff'd;
From my despairing heart to charm
The Image of the fairest form
That e'er my reveling eyes beheld,
That e'er my wandering fancy spell'd.
In vain! away I cannot chace
The melting softness of that face,
The beaminess of those bright eyes,
That breast—earth's only Paradise.
My sight will never more be blest;
For all I see has lost its zest:
Nor with delight can I explore,
The Classic page, or Muse's lore.
Had she but known how beat my heart,
And with one smile reliev'd its smart
I should have felt a sweet relief,
I should have felt ``the joy of grief.''
Yet as the Tuscan mid the snow
Of Lapland dreams on sweet Arno,
Even so for ever shall she be
The Halo of my Memory.
My Reflections on the Poem:
Recording Fill For Me a Brimming Bowl was an emotional experience. Keats’ use of imagery and raw emotion allows the reader to feel his struggle between desire and detachment. It’s a poem that resonates deeply with anyone who has faced the pain of unfulfilled love.
This post is part of my 100 Days of Poetry series, where I embarked on a journey to record and share 100 poems over 100 days in 2017. Although the series was interrupted, I’m delighted to continue sharing these timeless works with you.
