The English poet John Keats is my next candidate for a nuannaarpoq award. I am building a dossier of his nuannaarpoqian behaviour and inclinations to parade before you, before creating a nuannaarpoq award-winners page where I can bring these life-loving exemplars together. In a dream world, I would invite them all for brunch or tea, and see them enjoy each other’s company.

Here he is lolling on a lawn and tasting the plumpness of delicious fruit, close to 200 years ago; I find it touching that he is able to convey his garden-glorying love of life even across the distance of a few centuries.

May you enjoy a few such lawn-lolling moments this summer.  If you do, feel free to send me a picture, in words or sketches or pixels.

‘I should like now to promenade round you Gardens – apple tasting – pear-tasting – plumb-judging – apricot-nibbling – peach scrunching – Nectarine-sucking and Melon carving – I have also a great feeling for antiquated cherries full of sugar cracks – and a white currant tree kept for company – I admire lolling on a lawn by a water-lillied pond to eat white currants and see gold fish.’ (28 August 1819)

Source: John Keats, Selected Letters, ed. Robert Gittings (Oxford World Classics, 2002/2009), p. 264

Photo credit: Myriams-Fotos at pixabay