She Walks in Beauty
By Lord Byron — a treat for all poetry lovers
She Walks in Beauty
She walks in beauty, like the night
Of cloudless climes and starry skies;
And all that’s best of dark and bright
Meet in her aspect and her eyes;
Thus mellowed to that tender light
Which heaven to gaudy day denies.
One shade the more, one ray the less,
Had half impaired the nameless grace
Which waves in every raven tress,
Or softly lightens o’er her face;
Where thoughts serenely sweet express,
How pure, how dear their dwelling-place.
And on that cheek, and o’er that brow,
So soft, so calm, yet eloquent,
The smiles that win, the tints that glow,
But tell of days in goodness spent,
A mind at peace with all below,
A heart whose love is innocent!
This heart-throbbing lyric poem is a matchless masterpiece of Lord Byron.
This confessional poetry characterizes his writing style. In this piece, the poet reveals his passionate heart that went out for the beauty of a woman. He adores her charm as her inner innocence and serenity. The dear darkness, the bright daylight, and the cloudless starry night everything comes in handy for him to describe her grace. As rightly said by Leslie A. Marchand, “the core of his thinking and basis of his poetry is the romantic inspiration”. The persistent love for beauty is the essence of life. This poem is an everlasting treat for poetry lovers of all times.
