An appreciation of “To Autumn” by John Keats

An appreciation of “To Autumn” by John Keats


“To Autumn”, a vivid and sensuous description of the scenery John Keats encountered and marvelled at in the midst of his Sunday constitutional is something to be marvelled at itself. Not only is his choice of language effective in conveying this idyllic image to the reader, but its tone is incredibly optimistic. This might strike some as strange, considering this poem was penned by a terminally ill author. The poem’s nature is diametrically opposed to the temperament and disposition one would expect of a person aware of his impending demise.
The first verse seems to be concentrated on the beginning of autumn, conveying images of an organic and sunny nature. The main theme seems to be centred around maturity and ripening, as lines such as “Close bosom-friend of the maturing sun”, “And fill all fruit with ripeness to the core” and “With a sweet kernel; to set budding more and still more, later flowers...