Classic and Contemporary Poetry
TO THE SIGHING STREPHON, by GEORGE GORDON BYRON Poet Analysis Poet's Biography First Line: Your pardon, my friend, if my rhymes did offend Last Line: For it only consists in the word. Alternate Author Name(s): Byron, Lord; Byron, 6th Baron Subject(s): Poetry & Poets; Regret | ||||||||
YOUR pardon, my friend, if my rhymes did offend, Your pardon, a thousand times o'er; From friendship I strove your pangs to remove, But I swear I will do so no more. Since your beautiful maid your flame has repaid, No more I your folly regret; She's now most divine, and I bow at the shrine Of this quickly reformed coquette. Yet still, I must own, I should never have known From your verses, what else she deserved; Your pain seem'd so great, I pitied your fate, As your fair was so devilish reserved. Since the balm-breathing kiss of this magical miss Can such wonderful transports produce; Since the 'world you forget, when your lips once have met,' My counsel will get but abuse. You say, when 'I rove, I know nothing of love;' 'T is true, I am given to range: If I rightly remember, I've loved a good number, Yet there's pleasure, at least, in a change. I will not advance, by the rules of romance, To humour a whimsical fair; Though a smile may delight, yet a frown won't affright, Or drive me to dreadful despair. While my blood is thus warm I ne'er shall reform, To mix in the Platonists' school; Of this I am sure, was my passion so pure, Thy mistress would think me a fool. And if I should shun every woman for one, Whose image must fill my whole breast -- Whom I must prefer, and sigh but for her -- What an insult 't would be to the rest! Now, Strephon, good bye; I cannot deny Your passion appears most absurd; Such love as you plead is pure love indeed, For it only consists in the word. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...DEEP SORRINESS ATONEMENT SONG by GLYN MAXWELL MINOR MIRACLE by MARILYN NELSON A RENUNCIATION OF THE DESERT PRIMROSE; FOR J. ROBERT OPPENHEIMER by NORMAN DUBIE IN RETROSPECT by DAVID IGNATOW LULLABY FOR REGRET by NAOMI SHIHAB NYE ALL IS VANITY, SAITH THE PREACHER' by GEORGE GORDON BYRON |
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