Who are you? Introduce yourself

[Malia]

Hi Gareth and welcome to the forum! Wow, your urn tattoo is excellently done. Where on your body is it? Looks like an arm. . .but I can't quite be sure. What exactly is it about Ode on a Grecian Urn that so moved you, do you think? It sounds exciting that you will be climbing through Scotland and even through some places that Brown and Keats traveled. I would *love* to do that sometime, myself. But I expect that will happen sometime in the distant future as it is a bit of a trek from here (Washington State, West Coast USA) to Britain.

Welcome again and we look forward to seeing you around the forum!

[Credo Buffa]

Welcome to our new members!

I've done some hill walking in Scotland myself, though up in the Torridons, which is much further north than Keats made it (I believe he only got as far as Ben Nevis and Fort William). I have to say, though, I was thinking of Keats throughout! I know there's at least one book out there that tracks the route that Keats took through the Highlands. The title escapes me right now, but it might be worth checking out if you're interested in following him!

Where in Scotland are you, Gareth? I myself lived in St. Andrews for six months after graduating college. It's an incomparably beautiful and inspiring place, and I envy your being there!

[Gazlynn]

Thanks for the reply.
My tattoo is actually down my side / rib cage.
A few things about ode to a grecian urn that moved me (you will have to excuse this reply as I am not an academic type)
It asks a lot of emotional questions to me.
the urn is a beautiful piece of art but on this urn are figures that strive to move forward but cannot obviously.
Then says about the lovers never can they kiss but she will be there for ever. That opens up big personal relationships questions to me.
Am I happy in the current relationship? or do I want more? We have all been in stagnent relationships i think??
I am beginning to ramble sorry
I think what the poem is asking me is beauty / love just an unchangeable form or can it be more than that and if you want more then there are risks.
I have not understood the whole poem yet but am working on it.
I just think it is one of the most powerfull beautifully written poem I have ever read.

Here are some pictures of my jaunt into the scottish hills if interested:-

http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/GarethLynn

What does the poem say to you?
thanks

Gareth

[Gazlynn]

Hi Credo Buffa
Thanks for the reply
I live just outside Stirling underneath the ochil hills.
St Andrews is a great town but a few too many golfers for my taste
Torridon is much more my cup of tea a truly beautiful place.

[Malia]

Excellent photos, Gareth! The rugged beauty of the Scottish wilderness never fails to move me

[BrokenLyre]

Thanks for the pictures of Scotland. What a great country and heritage!. You mentioned some books written by people who traced Keats' walk with Brown. If you are interested in reading them, the two books are:

A Walk After John Keats by Nelson S. Bushnell, Farrar and Rinehart, 1936.
and
Walking North With Keats by Carol Kyros Walker, Yale University Press, 1992.

Carol Walker was a student of Jack Stillinger - Keats scholar at University of Chicago. She is also a photographer and thus she not only re-traced Keats' walk but took great photos from the same spot on the same days that Keats was there. And in her amazing sensitivity, she even took the pictures from the height of John Keats - to see the view from his own vantage point. Just a wonderful book. You can find either one at eBay or other places online.

[Gazlynn]

Hi Brokenlyre
Books ordered from amazon.
Many thanks for the info

[BrokenLyre]

Glad I can be of service. I was very moved by Walker's book. I never finished Bushnell's book but I will someday. Hope you like them both. I consider these books (and others I have) all treasures - because they come from the friends of Keats. A wonderful circle to be in, I think. Welcome!

[Malia]

I looked through Walker's book years ago when I was studying English Literature in undergrad. She's a great photographer and it is interesting to see how she mapped her way through Keats and Brown's walking tour--considering many of the places where they walked were now highways or changed by time in a way that made it impossible for her to traverse. Bushnell's book with shots taken from a height that reflected what Keats's perspective might have been sounds really interesting!

[AsphodelElysium]

I'm just going to jump in here and extend my welcome to all new members. Whew, I've been away for too long! But I'm tickled pink that interest in Keats is still growing by leaps and bounds!

Welcome all!

[Saturn]

Welcome back AE, it's been far too long

[AsphodelElysium]

*Bows in acknowledgment* Thank you, thank you! You are quite right. I hope I can get back in the swing of things.

[dks]

I'm moved by all the impassioned new members on here! Welcome, everyone...I'm always humbled by the sense of community this place instills--even when some of us are away for stretches of life...like myself...and AE--nice to hear from you again!! This forum is a pocket of cyber-time that is indeed healing for me...I plan to post much more than I have been and to keep my scribblings up as much as possible--there is so much purposeful opining on here--so much moving inclination...it's truly an honor to be a member!

Sorry for all the toothsome sentiments--but I was having a moment!

[AsphodelElysium]

Thanks, dks! I can completely identify with your sentiments. Its like coming home to familiar friends, visiting here. The healing aspect of it all should not be minimized or taken for granted either.

[Endymion]

We're rather like one big family...nice to meet you, Endymion.

heh ... only 2 years too late to say hi back to you dks ... thanks for the wave.

My name wasn't supposed to reflect my actual tardiness, but I fear it's become me