La Belle Dame Sans Merci , also known as the poem that was our first brush with the poignancy of poetry. What John Keats started with his verses was a revolution. His style of poetry is probably the first style every poet experiments with. He gave all the aspiring poets with heavy hearts a way to express themselves. The ache and pining in his verses showed everyone that loss and yearning could be beautiful too.

He was a genius who passed away much too early at the age of 25. But what he left behind was a legacy – of mesmerising verses and nations of poets who learnt to transform their own brands of pain to poetry.

So, on his 220th birthday today, let’s celebrate the genius with a few of his quotes.

Happy birthday, John Keats!

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