# LXXV explained — Poetry

> Chapter companion for Poetry by John Keats.

## What happens

At three o'clock, a falling star causes chaos among the troop, killing a man-cook and a page, breaking various dishes, and singeing the Princess's hoop. A large bat suddenly flies into the narrator's face.

## Character check-ins

### Princess

The Princess is present and her hoop is singed by the falling star; she claps her hands and cries out 'Whoop!'

### Unknown

The narrator describes the falling star incident and the bat that brushes against their hat.

## Key lines

> Just upon three o’clock, a falling star Created an alarm among our troop, Kill’d a man-cook, a page, and broke a jar, A tureen, and three dishes, at one swoop, Then passing by the Princess, singed her hoop

At exactly three o'clock, a meteor caused panic in our group, killing a cook and a page, and shattering a jar, a tureen, and three dishes all at once, then it grazed the Princess and burned her hoop skirt.

_The falling star causes both fatalities and property damage, and also affects the Princess._

> Could not conceive what Coralline was at, She clapp’d her hands three times, and cried out ‘Whoop!’ Some strange Imaian custom.

I couldn't understand what Coralline was doing; she clapped her hands three times and shouted 'Whoop!'—some peculiar Imaian tradition.

_The narrator observes Coralline's unusual reaction, attributing it to a foreign custom._

> A large bat Came sudden ’fore my face, and brush’d against my hat.

A large bat suddenly appeared in front of my face and brushed against my hat.

_The bat's sudden appearance adds to the chaotic and eerie atmosphere._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/poetry_14_se/chapters/lxxv
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/poetry_14_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/poetry_14_se/chapters