While researching romantic literary quotes, I stumbled upon something fascinating - copies of a love letter from John Keats to his dearest Fanny Brawne. Should someone write me such a letter, I would crumple into a swooning heap. I have always loved Keats. His short life of only twenty-five years fanned his remarkable career as a popular romantic English poet. His tragic and painful death from tuberculosis stopped short his career. Keats published only fifty-four poems, in three slim volumes and a few magazines.

Keats relationship with Miss Brawne was a reflection of his short yet brilliant life. It seems that on 25 December 1818 they declared their love; they were engaged (though without much public announcement) in October 1819. But Keats felt he could not marry until he had established himself as a poet—or proved to himself he could not. Keats died in February 1821. Keats burned all but her last letters, which were buried with him.

"My love is selfish. I cannot breathe without you."

My heart aches from these words, as they are not fiction.