Sunday, February 1, 2015

Sunday Poetry - Lord Byron

I've just started reading the Letters of Lord Byron, newly reprinted by Michael Walmer from the 1933 edition selected by R G Howarth. Mike was kind enough to send me a copy for review & I'm looking forward to both reading the letters & the poetry. I've always loved Byron's poetry, especially the shorter lyrics so I thought I'd feature them this month in the Sunday Poetry post.

This poem is well suited to a summer Sunday in Melbourne, although I can't hear the ocean from where I live. It's a lovely image though.
There be none of Beauty's daughters   
  With a magic like thee;   
And like music on the waters   
  Is thy sweet voice to me:   
When, as if its sound were causing            
The charmed ocean's pausing,   
The waves lie still and gleaming,   
And the lull'd winds seem dreaming:   
 
And the midnight moon is weaving   
  Her bright chain o'er the deep,     
Whose breast is gently heaving   
  As an infant's asleep:   
So the spirit bows before thee   
To listen and adore thee;   
With a full but soft emotion,     
Like the swell of summer's ocean.

2 comments:

  1. Yes, I am a fan of Byron's poetry too. This one is lovely, such a hypnotic rhythm; I haven't come across it before, so thank you for sharing.

    I notice you have the Elizabeth Goudge book, The Scent of Water, on your table. She was my mum's favourite author and I inherited all her books. I never used to see her books around, as she was considered old fashioned, but recently her name is cropping up everywhere!

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    1. I've just started reading TSOW & am enjoying it so far. Some of her books have been reprinted in the US recently & I think people are reading her again. I'm sure I read some of her books when I was younger but haven't read anything for ages.

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