Half in Love with Easeful Death

Sylvia Plath was not the only poet born under Scorpio to be drawn to death’s glamour (see my previous post).

Here is an extract from Ode To A Nightingale by John Keats (born October 30).
…
Darkling I listen; and, for many a time
I have been half in love with easeful Death,
Call’d him soft names in many a mused rhyme,
To take into the air my quiet breath;
Now more than ever seems it rich to die,
To cease upon the midnight with no pain,
While thou art pouring forth thy soul abroad
In such an ecstasy!
…


Like Plath, Keats was dead before turning 30.

For the complete poem click here.

1. Astrodreamer says:

   October 30, 2011 at 3:19 pm

   Hi Christine —

   You can add Anne Sexton, John Berryman and Thomas Chatterton to your suicidal Scorpio poets, while Dylan Thomas drank himself to death.

   Astrodreamer

   Reply
2. Isy Aweigh says:

   October 30, 2011 at 4:34 pm

   Suicide is in the air. I’ve a couple of friends obsessing on it right now and I’m still struggling not to lose my grip on the hope they’ll both make it. Sigh.

   Reply
3. Christina says:

   October 30, 2011 at 4:46 pm

   @Isy – I am very sorry to hear that. This is a hard time of year during a hard time for the world making a hard time for individuals.

   Sometimes, from this threshold of winter, spring can just seem too far away.

   The thing that keeps a lot of us going is – surprisingly – curiosity.

   @astrodreamer – thanks for that. Scorpio’s ability to focus narrowly and precisely and throw out that which is not necessary is ideal for poetry.

   Reply