April 10th

“April 10th” from a Poem for the Day Edited by Nicholas Albery

A thing of beauty is a joy for ever:
Its loveliness increases, it will never
Pass into nothingness; but still we keep
A bower quiet for us, and a sleep
Full of sweet dreams, and health, and quiet breathing.
Therefore, on every morrow, are we wreathing
A flowery band to bind us to the earth,
Spite of despondence, of the inhuman dearth
Of noble natures, of the gloomy days,
Of all the unhealthy and o’er darkened ways
Made of our searching; yes, in spite of all,
Some shape of beauty moves away from the pall
From our dark spirits

John Keats from Endymion Book 1



Also on this day

1791 Robert Burns’ third son was born
1794 Coleridge discharged from army as insane
1818 John Keats dated his Preface from Endymion
1909 Algernon Charles Swinburne, reformed Bohemian, died from pneumonia at the home of Watts-Dunton
1952 Liverpool Pop Poet Adrian Henri was born
1965 Sue Taylor married Barry Thomas
2005 they celebrated their 40th anniversary
mid 1940s Geoff Hopwood was born