Bright Star the movie website!

[johnkeatspoet]

Your thoughts?

Dear riverborn,

I know not where you come from, nor where you're heading... Indeed, the river is wide and the river is long, but it seems to me this is the first time you've come here (Posts: 2 ; Joined: Tue May 26, 2009 1:47 pm). Would you mind politely introducing yourself to us at the "Who are you? Introduce yourself" topic section before we give you "our thoughts"? Thank you very much.

P.S. I've provided the appropriate link for you below. Just click.

http://www.john-keats.com/phpboard/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=508

[riverborn]

I did not realize that i was being impolite by not identifying myself. I have looked over your website and know little more about you than I did before except that you are young and, by astonishing coincidence, share the name of your favorite poet. It would have been more ironic, and perhaps suggest less hubris, if you shared Keats name but thought Leigh Hunt your favorite poet.

It would seem to me that those of us who share a love of Keats should not be so hard on one another. My interest in Keats is intense and visceral. I am fascinated by his likely unconscious compulsion to bring the Goddess back into the world, and the subtle and powerful way he consummated this in "To Autumn".

My current interest in this forum is both a joy and trepidation surrounding "the movie". Keats can be put into more public consciousness in the wrong way, in ways that are even demeaning and unreal. I would hope that the power of the mythic content that Keats so absorbed himself in would carry the day. This movie may ignite sentiment but not insight. "We hate things that have a palpable design upon us".

[johnkeatspoet]

Dear riverborn,

Welcome to the John Keats forum. I regret you took my message as implying you were being impolite, its poetic allure may have misled you. I was hoping you'd introduce yourself in less abrupt terms than your first two posts suggested. Something like "Hi everyone! I'm happy to have joined the Keats forum, My current interest in this forum, etc." or even what you've just said about yourself would have been very welcomed (and even better yet if it was in the topic section I pointed out to you). It helps to have a certain "feeling" about someone before answering their questions (identification is not a prerequisite, btw). That's how discussions usually begin and work. Your interest in Keats is nonetheless fascinating and you've definitely come to the right place to discuss about it. Hope to hear from you soon.

P.S. As I've said, my website is in the works. It's very rudimentary, really. Please don't take it very seriously.

[Saturn]

Just to clear things up; as the administrator, for my own part I don't see there is any compunction or need to introduce oneself here if you don't wish to.

Yes it would be nice for new members to post in the "...introduce yourself" thread, but it's not essential or bad manners I think, not everyone wants to or is good at talking about themselves.

I've always thought of this forum as a kind of drop-in cafe, a place where people come and go and jump in and out of the conversation.

I don't see it as, and will make sure it never becomes some kind of elitist literary salon where high-minded intellectuals pontificate to one another.

In other words there is no set-down-in-stone etiquette for membership of, or contribution to this forum. All I ask is that people tolerate others' opinions and treat them with respect.

Saturn.

[riverborn]

Thank you. I recognize that Keats is a very rich poet who can inspire folks on a number of levels. He can be read as a romantic, the poet who heralds in the death of romanticism, or an existential poet- for starters. So I appreciate that each person could bring a different internalization of his works to the table- sort of a greeting spirit thing. I would second the notion of tolerance and your reference to what Keats called, to paraphrase, that most vulgar of crowds- the literary. I would offer that for one to "get" Keats one has has to step aside and let the words and works sink in viscerally.

For me there is a mythic cycle in his poetry, something mysterious in the way he works out "straining at particles of light in the midst of a great darkness", that is so full of the basic human dilemma, if one has any interiority, of being full of both darkness and light, mortal and immortal nature. All imo of course.

[johnkeatspoet]

Thanks so much Saturn for sorting things out.

Thank you also riverborn for your insight and understanding. Really very enlightening and no hard feelings.
It's nice to have you around the JKF - Keep it flowing I guess

[Saturn]

Oh!! Keats on the Simpsons? I don't believe I ever saw that episode

[johnkeatspoet]

Kinda weird huh? Keats 'n Simpsons : who would have ever thought?

Episode 25 of Season 8 (1996-1997) "The Secret War of Lisa Simpson."
Originally aired 18-May-1997.

Synopsis : Bart is sent to military school to deal with his discipline problem.
When Lisa sees the classrooms, she wants to enter the school, but she doesn't count on the physical part of being a cadet.



Here's the workout of that scene, it goes like this :

| Continuing their tour of the school ground, the Commandant points out
| a row of cadets standing at attention. Lisa admires their discipline;
| Homer tests it by throwing a rock at them.
|
| The family and the Commandant peek into a classroom.

Cadet: Truth is beauty, beauty truth, sir!
Lisa: They're discussing poetry! Oh, they never do that at my school.
Teacher: But the truth can be harsh and disturbing! How can that be considered beautiful?
Marge: Well, they sure sucked the fun out of that poem.

What more can I say? :-D

[Malia]

That is excellent, johnkeatspoet! I love the "drill"-style call and response in the analysis--so *very* different from Keats's style. I've always loved The Simpsons' social commentary and satirical style. Hillarious! It is truly amazing all the places Keats pops up--I've seen him mention/used several times in Star Trek: The Next Generation. (Data composes an Ode to his cat Spot and mentions Keats among the great writers of Odes in whose tradition he is writing; and Counselor Troy and Riker share a special place in their hearts for "Ode to Psyche"--which, in the t.v. show is represented as being a *book* length poem. )

[BrokenLyre]

Delightful. And surprising to see Keats in the 'toons. Thanks for the info...

[Wynn]

I can't help but point this out: if there is a situation between you and another where the truth is that unless you go through a lot of suffering, the other person will come to harm, and if you do suffer for that person and save them, that's a beautiful thing, albeit unpleasant.

[Saturn]

Huh??

[Credo Buffa]

Wasn't this thread at one point about the Bright Star website?

[Saturn]

Yeah, it was. It seems to have gone offtrack just a smidgeon...

[BrokenLyre]

Well ---- I finally found a website where the movie "Bright Star" is playing nearby! On September 22, 2009, I will see the movie! I found a site called "AdvancedScreenings.com" and signed up for free. I also found that I could see the earliest screening in Upstate NY on Tuesday the 22nd for free. When I think that Keats wrote "To Autumn" on September 19, 1819 - then this date makes it more fun for me. I encourage any of you to look at the site and see if the movie is playing near you. You just print the tickets from the site. Just sign up, follow the directions and print. And you can bring a friend - one ticket for 2 people.

Amazing that I am having a hard time finding someone to go with me to see a free movie.