John Keats was one of the greatest of
the English poets. He died in 1821 at
the incredible age of twenty-five.
(Also for Three Word Wednesday and ABC Wednesday: "C" is for "Charlie.")
For centuries, innkeepers
knew that the inn they operated had to have a stable.
When folks showed
up to stay the night they usually arrived by equine power so the innkeeper had
to have a place to park the equines. The
stable, in short, was an important part of any inn.
I mention stables because
they played a large part in the life story of the chap I wanted to write about
this week. I’ll call him Li’l Charlie,
because that certainly wasn’t his name.
Charlie was born,
and pretty well raised, in a stable. His
father was, in other words, a hostler. I
believe our cousins across the pond say ostler, but it’s the same word: it’s the
guy who took care of horses when they showed up at an inn.
When the boy was
old enough he became a “stable lad,” a job that most kids of that day regarded as the work of a jackass because you spent most of your time shoveling manure, a type of work that
gets old fast.
By now you’ve
probably grasped the point: Li’l Charlie started out on one of the lowest rungs
of life’s ladder.
However, someone
spotted something special in the young chap – he seemed to be gifted in his
words and in his poetic use of the English language – so they volunteered to
put up the money for his education. At
the age of fifteen the fortunate youth got to study – pharmacy!
He became a
licensed apothecary.
For a nascent
poetic genius that may have been better than shoveling equine droppings but probably not by much.
Anyway, he
continued with his splendid poetry and did pretty well with it. He learned that beauty is truth, truth beauty,
and some say he got to be better at it than anyone since Shakespeare. It led to a rupture in his way of life.
I guess you could
say no less than that he became one of the few established poets who, if things turned sour
in the poetry game, could always open a drug store.
So - what was Li’l Charlie’s
real name?
(Also submitted to Sunday
Scribblings.)
38 comments:
John Keats it is, Berowne!
Hank
kaykuala starts us off with the right answer.
Talk about 'synchronicity' - I was, only yesterday, looking through the complete works of John Keats, which I brought for my wife after my last trip to England. John Keats it is.
ok- we all know that Jesus was born in a stable...but I'll bet that isn't the right answer ....or is it?
I am stumped!
ahah ahah ! John Keats! Whew- my brain is sweating now.
Mr. B . . I think he's Ernie the Greek, by John Keats. Or vice-versa ("Beauty is truth, truth beauty" was a BIG help!)
John Keats .......... have a great day, Sir.
Keats!
Oh my, you crafted a might tale for us today. Could his name be, Alexander Fleming?
John Keats
The following have graced us with their presence - as well as with the correct answer: Bee's Blog, Tess Kincaid, Helen, Doc FTSE, Kathe W and Altonian.
It seems that Kathe W changed her mind, as she has every right to do. :-)
Oh now look, you've got me coming here with no enticement besides my own curiosity! What am I like???
Alright then, my answer: John Keats.
Li'l Charlie sounds suspiciously like John Keats. So that's my answer. John Keats.
Trellissimo and zanzinece have also provided us with the right answer. Who's next?
Sans the urn reference, I had no idea. Keats.
Roger Owen Green has the right answer, as he so often has had before.
It's a pity that Pharmacies then didn't stock the drugs to cure his tuberculosis as he died very young at 26. If this is John Keats that is!
Jim Morrison
Was it Keats?
Other Mary and oldegg are the two latest to provide us with the right answer, Who's next?
Was it John Keats? "Ode on a Grecian Urn" has that quote about beauty is truth and truth is beauty.
Leslie
abcw team
I really don't know, mr Berowne, but you wrote this so well that I should like to read the book itself.
Wil, ABCW Team
Leslie has just given us the correct answer.
I guess that would be John Keats...
For the money..."Who was John Keats?"
Meryl and Hildred are two more with the correct answer.
John Keats I believe. His birthday is on Halloween, October 31st and I memorized that little fact around 6th grade when we studied "Ode to a Grecian Urn" . Apparently those bits stick while I can't remember why I walked to another room some days!
Yay!
John Keats. Now I see there are already several people you've identified as correct, although I can't see their comments. I'm pretty sure it wasn't Jim Morrison, however.
So, I'll post this, then see who said what.
K
Aha. I can't see the ones you've identified as being right. Very tricky, Berowne.
Hmm. I'm sticking with Keats, I think he urned it.
K
Truth beauty, beauty truth-Keats.
Another splendid quiz, but far beyond my ability to solve! :)
Three more "winners." Kay L Davies, uberrhund and Frankie Jay all coughed up the right answer.
Keats or his drug dealer.
Rallentanda has just joined those with the correct answer.
Didn't know about his humble beginnings, but John Keats was an apothecary as well as a poet. Nice to have something to fall back on... in case the pharmacy thing peters out!! Amy
Shoot. I guess I came too late to the party!
=)
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