Bright Star
by John Keats

In this poem, the speaker wants to be "steadfast" as a star. Stars are always in their proper place and are around for a very long time. Stars also look down upon the earth. The speaker wants to live in an unchanging state while looking upon those whose lives do change.  In this case, the speaker wants these qualities for himself. However, stars are also spread far apart throughout space. This is a problem for him because he wants to be "pillowed upon my fair love's ripening breast." If he was completely like a star he wouldn't be able to be with his lover. Therefore, although he wants to live for a long time he wants to do so with his love. THen at the end of the poem, he says he wants to either have the qualities of a star, or die.