Bright Moon

a response to John Keats poem Bright Star

Bright star would I were steadfast as thou art
And kind and sweet and beautiful and good
Would I, like thee, suspended in the night
Gaze down with bright compassion on the world

But I'm not steadfast
Nor kind nor sweet nor good
And beauty means these twisted choking words
Self-contorted sentences and strangled poetry

Would I were steadfast Would I, like you
Could breathe the airless night
Would I, hung so high aloft the skies
And so alone " would I, like you
Burn radiant and bright

Bright star Would you were here
I do not crave your light
I crave your warmth and fingertips and flesh
I crave your burning lips your shining eyes
Your whispered words and dizzying embrace

Bright sun engulfing all the sky with light
And all the stars and all my head and heart
and flesh and soul

I am not a star I am the Moon
My beauty mere reflection of your own
These words cold barren craters in my heart
These words are pale moonbeams casting out
Hopeless through the cold and airless night
These words are pale moonbeams
Reflected light distorted ghostly memories
Of your scorching fevered kiss

These skies are cold this night is dark
The air around is deathly sparse

Bright star I love you
And when this racking love grows hard
I lift my eyes and remember this
Forever will I love thee
and you be bright



By Samantha Campbell

Author's Note

John Keats died at 25
200 years later
I thank God
for our superior medicine
and my inferior poetry.

This was inspired by the poem Bright Star and the life of English poet John Keats. Tuberculosis the medical care of the day and an unfortunate two month voyage to Rome all conspired to kill such a great young poet. I'm so grateful modern medicine is so much better. My poetry is no where near Keats so perhaps I'll escape the Grim Reaper's notice for a while longer yet

just edited this by adding pics lol

Reviews

[George Stal]

This is beautilful , really like the flow and the imagery just jumps out at you.

[L'Enfant Terrible]

This is really beautiful, the imagery of the starts is just amazing.
R.I.P John Keats.

[Jvl narasimharao]

Your poetry is as cool and beautiful as the moon.Keats is the shining sun and you are the lovely moon

[Coyote Poetry]

You are amazing. Keats would be honor by your poem. I like the poem theory and story. The old Poets we owe a lot for they gave us reason to keep reading. Thank you for the outstanding poem.
Coyote

[Larry Dyson]

acrylic or watercolor...the picture... it is great

[Larry Dyson]

may I ask..."And beauty means these twisted choking words
Self-contorted (senses)(?sentences?) and strangled poetry"
just wondering which was the one you intended?..wonderful write.

[Lily Mae]

Don't short change yourself.. this is brilliant and the picture is awesome. I do see it :) xx

[Samantha ~virginpoet]

forgot to add ... make sure to look at main pic especially if you've never read Bright Star you can see it on the pic