My english teacher assigned everyone in my class a poem each. I got Hymn to Apollo by John Keats. I've read it and I'm pretty sure I understand it, but I just wanted to hear other opinions on the poem or it's meaning.

Thanks

Hymn To Apollo

God of the golden bow,
And of the golden lyre,
And of the golden hair,
And of the golden fire,
Charioteer
Of the patient year,
Where---where slept thine ire,
When like a blank idiot I put on thy wreath,
Thy laurel, thy glory,
The light of thy story,
Or was I a worm---too low crawling for death?
O Delphic Apollo!

The Thunderer grasp'd and grasp'd,
The Thunderer frown'd and frown'd;
The eagle's feathery mane
For wrath became stiffen'd---the sound
Of breeding thunder
Went drowsily under,
Muttering to be unbound.
O why didst thou pity, and beg for a worm?
Why touch thy soft lute
Till the thunder was mute,
Why was I not crush'd---such a pitiful germ?
O Delphic Apollo!

The Pleiades were up,
Watching the silent air;
The seeds and roots in Earth
Were swelling for summer fare;
The Ocean, its neighbour,
Was at his old labour,
When, who---who did dare
To tie for a moment, thy plant round his brow,
And grin and look proudly,
And blaspheme so loudly,
And live for that honour, to stoop to thee now?
O Delphic Apollo!


Since my Greek mythology is not what it should be, I am only guessing that it might be written from the viewpoint of Asclepius. Apollo taught humans the art of healing, and his son Asclepius became a great physician (wore the laurel), even going so far as to raise people from the dead. Zeus killed him for doing that, but it was after the time period in Keats' hymn.

Pure speculation, I admit. Could just as easily be someone else, including Keats himself.