Joey Saves The Day!: Facts about John Keats

Learn some quick facts about

John Keats.

This week’s famous poet is John Keats. Last week’s famous poet was John Milton.

John Keats is a famous poet. He wrote over 140 poems. He was born in London, England. His parents’ names are Thomas Keats and Frances Jennings. He had four siblings.

Here is a list of some poems by John Keats:

Ode On a Grecian Urn
A Thing of Beauty
Ode To Autumn
Bright Star
A Song About Myself
His Last Sonnet
Fancy
To Lord Byron
On A Dream

Hey parents and caregivers! Before diving into the wonderful world of poetry with your little ones, take a moment to ensure the poems are age-appropriate and child-friendly. Happy reading!

John Keats' poetry is known for its depth and beauty. Do you find poetry intriguing? What are your thoughts on Keats' works?

Quick facts about John Keats:

1. He was born on October 31, 1795, in London, England. He may have been born on October 29^th.

2. He took care of his brother, who was dying from tuberculosis, and he got ill from it. He eventually died from the disease. John Keats was 25 years old when he died. He died on February 23, 1821, in the Papal States, Rome. He is buried at the Protestant Cemetery in Rome.

3. The following is one of John Keats’s poems:

On A Dream

As Hermes once took to his feathers light,

When lulled Argus, baffled, swoon’d and slept,

So on a Delphic reed, my idle spright

So play’d, so charm’d, so conquer’d, so bereft

The dragon-world of all its hundred eyes;

And seeing it asleep, so fled away,

Not to pure Ida with its snow-cold skies,

Nor unto Tempe where Jove griev’d that day;

But to that second circle of sad Hell,

Where in the gust, the whirlwind, and the flaw

Of rain and hail-stones, lovers need not tell

Their sorrows—pale were the sweet lips I saw,

Pale were the lips I kiss’d, and fair the form

I floated with, about that melancholy storm.

(You can print out a worksheet on this poem. You will fill in the missing words in the poem.)

4. When John Keats was eight (8) years old, his father fell off a horse on his way home, causing his skull to fracture. His father passed away shortly after the accident.

5. John Keats's educational journey is a testament to the pursuit of one's passion. He began his studies at a dame school, a small, privately taught school, and later attended John Clarkes' school in 1803. In 1815, he enrolled at Guy’s Hospital as a medical student and even received his apothecary's license in 1816. However, by the end of the year, he had realized his true calling was in poetry, not medicine.

6. Here is a list of John Keats’s siblings:

George Keats (1797)
Thomas Keats (1799)
Edward Keats (1801)
Frances Mary Keats (1803)

7. John Keats was in love with Frances "Fanny" Brawne. They were secretly engaged, but he died from tuberculosis before he could marry her. During his illness, he and Fanny maintained contact by exchanging letters. John Keats never married and had no children.

8. John Keats had three books of poetry published during his lifetime. When he became a published poet, he did not like any of his earlier poems, so he gathered and burned them. He did not become a famous poet until after his death.

9. Here is a sonnet written by John Keats; it is possible that his favorite color was blue.

Blue! ‘tis the life of heaven, –the domain

Of Cynthia, –the wide palace of the sun, –

The tent of Hesperus and all his train, –

The bosomer of clouds, gold, grey and dun.

Blue! ‘Tis the life of waters–ocean

And all its vassal streams: pools numberless

May rage, and foam, and fret, but never can

Subside if not to dark-blue nativeness.

Blue! gentle cousin of the forest green,

Married to green in all the sweetest flowers,

Forget-me-not, –the blue-bell, –and, that queen

Of secrecy, the violet: what strange powers

Hast thou, as a mere shadow! But how great,

When in an Eye thou art alive with fate!

Get your printable John Keats worksheet here:

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Visit my printables section for a wide selection of worksheets and coloring sheets!

Books by John Keats and others:

1. A Song About Myself by John Keats and Chris Raschka

2. The Complete John Keats by John Keats

3. John Keats: Poetry by Ellen Nicholls

Attention, parents and caregivers! When it comes to storytime, make sure to choose books that are not just enjoyable but also perfect for your little ones. Quality, child-friendly reads can spark imagination and foster a love for reading. Let’s create memorable moments together through the joy of storytelling!

Tune in next time to learn some quick facts about Robert Frost!

Check out the Famous Poets Workbook available on Amazon! Click on the book for all the exciting details.