Upon Secondly Looking into Chapman's Homer

Whilst reading the assigned portion of the "Norton Introduction to Literature," written by Kelly J. Mays, the...no, this doesn't feel quite right.

                              Let's try something new.

Keats' subtle genius snuck up on me again.

However this time, I was neither hopeful nor dreading his presence on the crinkled textbook page. I became simply whelmed by his original expression in his included poem "On First Looking into Chapman's Homer" (Mays 4). But before we dig into why the second analysis of this sonnet was wholeheartedly different, I'd like to introduce some enthralling background knowledge. 

1. "Upon First[ly] Looking into Chapman's Homer," I had no prior knowledge of how to analyze poetry. I read over the poem and understood little, other than the fact that Keats really appreciates a good philosopher and that he confused his conquistadors. I appreciated the mistake, as I found myself relating personally to Keats' work with the idea that humans (even the romantic and poetic greats) make mistakes. 
2. Upon Secondly Looking into this poem, I saw elements that had before not stuck out to me. In fact, this second reading was entirely new to me because I was seeing through different lenses with new ways to interpret literature. Between the first and second time reading, I understood more and knew how to apply this understanding to the analysis. Here are a few realizations from my second time around: 

• A sonnet is featured with a sestet and volta, making the poem more than a block of text on the page. In fact, these different terms helped me to divide the poem and create a picture in my head. 
• Most of this poem follows an Iambic Pentameter metric, which is typical of a sonnet. The difference lies in the scansion that I instinctively performed to conclude this. 
• Keats is literally talking about Chapman's publication/interpretation of Homer's work...not just about an unseen and unfamiliar landscape and concept. 
• Darien is the previous title of Central America, where Keats is imagining himself to be.
• Keats must have spent so much energy and time getting his point across. 

I was floored when I realized that I was remotely interested in understanding this poem, as a person who does not read poetry regularly nor enjoys it. Perhaps it will be worthwhile to start. 

In summary, the second readthrough into Keat's take on Chapman's Homer became the literature that this Norton anthology is referencing. I'm looking forward to seeing what happens in the fiction section.