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 the days in goodness spent
A mind at peace with all below
A heart whose love is innocent!
~ Lord Byron (1788-1824)
When We Two Parted
When we two parted
In silence and tears,
Half broken-hearted
To sever the years,
Pale grew thy cheek and cold,
Colder, thy kiss;
Truly that hour foretold
Sorrow to this.
The dew of the morning
Sunk, chill on my brow,
It felt like the warning
Of what I feel now.
Thy vows are all broken,
And light is thy fame;
I hear thy name spoken,
And share in its shame.
They name thee before me,
A knell to mine ear;
A shudder comes o'er me...
Why wert thou so dear?
They know not I knew thee,
Who knew thee too well..
Long, long shall I rue thee,
Too deeply to tell.
In secret we met
In silence I grieve
That thy heart could forget,
Thy spirit deceive.
If I should meet thee
After long years,
How should I greet thee?
With silence and tears.
~ Lord Byron
How do I love thee?
How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.
I love thee to the depth and breadth and height
my soul can reach, when feeling out of sight
For the ends of Being and ideal Grace
I love thee to the level of every day's
most quiet need, by sun and candlelight.
I love thee freely, as men strive for Right;
I love thee purely, as they turn from Praise.
I love thee with the passion put to use
in my old griefs, and with my childhood's faith.
I love thee with a love I seemed to lose
with my lost saints
I love thee with the breath, smiles, tears,
of all my life!
And if God choose,
I shall love thee better after death
~ Elizabeth Barrett Browning (1770-1850)
The Bungler
You glow in my heart
Like the flames of uncounted candles.
But when I go to warm my hands,
My clumsiness overturns the light
And then I stumble
Against the tables and chairs.
~ Amy Lowell (1874-1925)
Beauty and Love
Beauty and love are all my dream;
They change not with the changing day;
Love stays forever like a stream
That flows but never flows away;
And beauty is the bright sun-bow
That blossoms on the spray that showers
Where the loud water falls below,
Making a wind among the flowers.
~ Andrew Young (1885-1971)
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