Fame Speaks

Stand forth,John Keats!  On earth thou knew'st me not;
Steadfast through all the storms of passion,thou,
True to thy muse,and virgin¹ to thy vow;
Resigned,if name with ashes were forgot,
So thou one arrow in the gold had'st shot!
I never placed my laurel on thy brow,
But on thy name I come to lay it now,
When thy bones wither² in the earthly plot.
Fame is my name.  I dwell among the clouds,
Being immortal,and the wreath I bring
Itself is Immortality³.  The sweets
Of earth I know not,more the pains,but wing
In mine own ether,with the crownéd crowds
Born of the centuries.-Stand forth,John Keats!