Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

EPITAPH: FOR JOHN KEATS, APOSTLE OF BEAUTY, by COUNTEE CULLEN Poet Analysis Poet's Biography

"Epitaph: For John Keats, Apostle of Beauty" by Countee Cullen is a tribute to the enduring legacy of John Keats, one of the most beloved English Romantic poets. Through this succinct yet evocative poem, Cullen commemorates Keats's immortal contributions to poetry, challenging the tragic brevity of Keats's life with the lasting impact of his work.

The poem opens with a direct rebuttal to Keats's own epitaph, "Here lies one whose name was writ in water," reflecting Keats's fear that his work would not endure beyond his death. Cullen contradicts this fear, declaring that Keats's name is "Not writ in water nor in mist," signifying that Keats's poetic legacy is neither ephemeral nor forgotten. By invoking the elements of water and mist, Cullen emphasizes the permanence of Keats's contributions against the poet's own anxieties about his legacy.

"Sweet lyric throat, thy name" acknowledges Keats's mastery of the lyric form and the beauty of his poetic voice. Cullen's use of the phrase "sweet lyric throat" serves as a metaphor for Keats's poetic talent and his ability to produce work of profound beauty and emotional depth.

The third line, "Thy singing lips that cold death kissed," refers to Keats's untimely death at the age of twenty-five. This line poignantly captures the tragedy of Keats's early demise, with death personified as coldly claiming the life of a vibrant young poet. The imagery of death's kiss is both intimate and final, marking the end of Keats's life but not his influence.

The final line, "Have seared his own with flame," delivers a powerful statement about the transformative impact of Keats's poetry. Despite the chill of death, Keats's work burns with a flame that cannot be extinguished. This flame represents the passion, beauty, and intensity of Keats's poetry, which continues to inspire and move readers long after his death. Cullen suggests that the very act of creation and the beauty captured in Keats's poetry have left an indelible mark on the world, a mark so powerful that it transcends the poet's physical mortality.

"Epitaph: For John Keats, Apostle of Beauty" is Cullen's homage to Keats's enduring legacy as a poet who, despite his brief life, made an everlasting contribution to the world of literature. Cullen's poem itself becomes part of the tribute to Keats, linking the two poets across time through their shared commitment to the beauty and power of the written word.

POEM TEXT:

Not writ in water nor in mist,

Sweet lyric throat, thy name.

Thy singing lips that cold death kissed

Have seared his own with flame.