BSc BA ADP English Notes Poem When I Have Fears (John Keats) Reference Context Explanation

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Poem:

When I have fears that I may cease to be

   Before my pen has gleaned my teeming brain,

Before high-pilèd books, in charactery,

   Hold like rich garners the full ripened grain;

When I behold, upon the night’s starred face,

   Huge cloudy symbols of a high romance,

And think that I may never live to trace

   Their shadows with the magic hand of chance;

And when I feel, fair creature of an hour,

   That I shall never look upon thee more,

Never have relish in the faery power

   Of unreflecting love—then on the shore

Of the wide world I stand alone, and think

Till love and fame to nothingness do sink.

Reference, Context and Explanation

Lines 1-4 When I have fears ... grain.

When I have fears that I may cease to be

   Before my pen has gleaned my teeming brain,

Before high-pilèd books, in charactery,

   Hold like rich garners the full ripened grain;

Reference: 

These lines have been taken from the famous sonnet of John Keats: "When I Have Fears".

Context: 

The poet tells us about his fear in the sonnet which he feels to find the love, and fame all mortal and temporary in this world. He wishes to give expression to all his ideas and realize his love _ but all that is impossible due to the transient nature of the world.

Explanation:

The poet tells us is these lines that he is afraid the he may die before his pen is able to write on paper all the high ideas present in his brain, before a number of books are able to hold the store of his deep, full knowledge as grains are stored in a godown.

Lines 5-8 When I behold ... hand of chance.

When I behold, upon the night’s starred face,

   Huge cloudy symbols of a high romance,

And think that I may never live to trace

   Their shadows with the magic hand of chance;

Reference: 

These lines have been taken from the famous sonnet of John Keats: "When I Have Fears".

Context: 

The poet tells us about his fear in the sonnet which he feels to find the love, and fame all mortal and temporary in this world. He wishes to give expression to all his ideas and realize his love _ but all that is impossible due to the transient nature of the world.

Explanation:

The poet tells us in these lines that he feels upset and afraid when he sees the sky which is full of stars and clouds that are for him symbols of many romances and thinks that he may never live to trace their hidden meanings with his inspired poetry.

Lines 9-14 And when I feel ... do sink.

And when I feel, fair creature of an hour,

   That I shall never look upon thee more,

Never have relish in the faery power

   Of unreflecting love—then on the shore

Of the wide world I stand alone, and think

Till love and fame to nothingness do sink.

Reference: 

These lines have been taken from the famous sonnet of John Keats: "When I Have Fears".

Context: 

The poet tells us about his fear in the sonnet which he feels to find the love, and fame all mortal and temporary in this world. He wishes to give expression to all his ideas and realize his love _ but all that is impossible due to the transient nature of the world.

Explanation:

The poet tells us in these lines that he becomes upset to feel that he will never be able to look at the beautiful face of his beloved for a long time and will never be able to enjoy the beautiful power of noble and continuous love. Then he feels as if he is standing all alone on the shore of the wide world and thinks that love and fame are both nothing (i.e., both are totally transitory and unimportant things).