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ON REVISITING HARROW by GEORGE GORDON BYRON

Poet Analysis

First Line: HERE ONCE ENGAGED THE STRANGER'S VIEW
Last Line: AND BLOTTED OUT THE LINE FOR EVER.
Subject(s): FRIENDSHIP; HARROW, ENGLAND; PRIDE; TIME; SELF-ESTEEM; SELF-RESPECT;

HERE once engaged the stranger's view
Young Friendship's record simply traced;
Few were her words, -- but yet, though few,
Resentment's hand the line defaced.

Deeply she cut -- but not erased,
The characters were still so plain,
That Friendship once return'd and gazed, --
Till Memory hail'd the words again.

Repentance placed them as before,
Forgiveness join'd her gentle name;
So fair the inscription seem'd once more,
That Friendship thought it still the same.

Thus might the Record now have been;
But, ah, in spite of Hope's endeavour
Or Friendship's tears, Pride rush'd between,
And blotted out the line for ever.



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