The Grave of Keats (by Oscar Wilde)
The Grave of Keats
by Oscar Wilde (1881)
Rid of the world’s injustice, and his pain,
He rests at last beneath God’s veil of blue:
Taken from life when life and love were new
The youngest of the martyrs here is lain,
Fair as Sebastian, and as early slain.
No cypress shades his grave, no funeral yew,
But gentle violets weeping with the dew
Weave on his bones an ever-blossoming chain.
O proudest heart that broke for misery!
O sweetest lips since those of Mitylene!
O poet-painter of our English Land!
Thy name was writ in water—it shall stand:
And tears like mine will keep thy memory green,
As Isabella did her Basil-tree.
Rome
Posted by Jesus Crisis at 3/8/2010 5:27 AM 
Categories: Wilde (Oscar), British, Writing, Keats (John), 1800s
Tags: British Poetry British Literature Oscar Wilde Flowers of Gold 1881 John Keats
Categories: Wilde (Oscar), British, Writing, Keats (John), 1800s
Tags: British Poetry British Literature Oscar Wilde Flowers of Gold 1881 John Keats
"Fair as Sebastian, and as early slain"
Is this a reference to the saint or to Sebastião, the Portuguese king who was slain by the Moors in Morocco? Isabella?
The Spanish Queen, Isabel la Católica?
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I believe he means St. Sebastian - who now has a reputation among some as the "homosexual's saint" (http://www.glbtq.com/literature/sebastian_st.html). Interestingly, Wilde adopted the pseudonym Sebastian Melmoth after his release from prison.
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And of course the real grave of Keats (to which Wilde refers) is indeed in Rome.
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Wilde shows how rhyming should be done // it is there yet one almost forgets that fact // it blends into the work without drawing distinction to itself. the poem makes me want to devour Keats' grave, meaning bright star, doesn't it?
thanks
carolyn
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I've been meaning to watch Bright Star - but the timing hasn't worked out. Today just may be the day!
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Thanks for posting these comments... I really knew little of Wilde's background so your comments encouraged me to look up and read some of his history... a fascinating person.
Do you feel a particular kinship with him since he too seems to have been put into prison for spurious reasons as well?
It seem there are a few parallels between Wilde and levy...
any thoughts on that at all?
Anyway thank you to you and Helen for piquing my curiosity.
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Though Wilde and levy were very different artists, there are the parallels of being wrongly persecuted by the "justice" system and dying prematurely -- and perhaps not surprisingly, I identify with both in various ways, even beyond their legal woes.
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Thanks.. I was going to ask about a good bio...thanks for suggesting one.
And I could see why you might identify with them both.... they seem to have both been misunderstood in their art and their life... But Wilde seemed to make more of it than levy did... he seemed to take what came to him and got something from it though it almost broke him physically.. where levy succumbed. I think had Wilde not been ill and died, he would have thrived.. he never seemed to lose his passion. (from what little I read so far on line)
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