Keats & Time

In “Confessions of An Opium Eater” the autobiographical aspect of the piece brings a specific perspective to the work. In the same way Keats’ “When I Have Fears” is a very personal confession of the poet’s worries. I have always loved this poem and I think it is because it’s so easy to relate to. As a young adult the thought that I may die before I accomplish something is scary. Keats seems to be a little obsessed with this idea, though. Or he is at least more than a little focused on time. In Ode on a Grecian Urn he freezes time with his flowery words and expressions to draw the reader’s attention to the idea that time is fleeting. The two lovers can at least be comforted by the thought that they will be frozen in time; the woman will never grow old. The “fair creature” in “When I Have Fears” is a momentary character in Keats’ life. The phrases “of an hour”, “never look upon thee more”, and “Never have relish in the fairy power” all give the idea of a moment that can be lost.