20+ Lord Byron Poems, Ranked by Poetry Experts

So We’ll Go No More a Roving

‘So We’ll Go No More a Roving’ is one of Lord Byron’s best works, delving into the emotional toll of aging and the waning of youthful vigor.

Written in 1817 and later published in Thomas Moore's Letters and Journals of Lord Byron, 'So We'll Go No More a Roving' is a poignant reflection on aging and the inevitable decline of youthful enthusiasm. The speaker, often assumed to be Byron himself, laments that although his "heart be still as loving," the time has come to "go no more a roving." The poem captures the essence of life's fleeting moments, emphasizing the need for "love itself to have rest" as one grows older. It serves as a touching reminder of the limitations that come with age, even as the heart remains willing.

So, we'll go no more a roving

So late into the night,

Though the heart be still as loving,

And the moon be still as bright.

She Walks in Beauty

‘She Walks in Beauty’ by Lord Byron glorifies the atypical beauty of a woman whom the speaker lovingly adores.

The speaker of Byron's poem is attempting to articulate the elusive and unique ways the woman before them appears to exude a kind of beauty previously unaccounted for. She is not simply beautiful but rather encompassed by it, "like the night / Of cloudless climes and starry skies." Although the focus is on her physical appearance they also make references to what lies beneath, yearning to know the thoughts and mind that lie beneath. Whether this is love or simply a sudden ardent infatuation is unclear — but Byron's words without a doubt gush with doting admiration.

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;

Stanzas for Music

This short, sixteen-line poem by Lord Byron was intended to be set to music and explores the theme of intense, perhaps transcendent, love. The gender of the beloved is left ambiguous, sparking scholarly debate.

Lord Byron's poem is a brief but potent exploration of love that transcends ordinary bounds. Comprising only sixteen lines, the poem was designed with the intention of being set to music, evident not just in its title but also in its lyrical quality. The speaker's affection for the unnamed beloved is vividly portrayed through rich, sensory imagery. The ambiguity surrounding the gender of the person being addressed has led to much scholarly discussion, adding another layer of complexity to this already intriguing piece.

There be none of Beauty's daughters

With a magic like thee;

And like music on the waters

Is thy sweet voice to me:

Thou Whose Spell Can Raise the Dead

‘Thou Whose Spell Can Raise the Dead’ by Lord Byron is a narrative poem told by the prophet Samuel, detailing the grim fate of King Saul and his sons.

This poem by Lord Byron delves into the biblical story of King Saul and his sons, as narrated by the prophet Samuel from the First Book of Samuel. The poem opens with Saul summoning Samuel to reveal his future. Samuel foretells that Saul and his sons will soon join him in the afterlife, with only one more day to live before becoming part of the earth. The poem serves as a haunting exploration of fate and mortality.

Thou whose spell can raise the dead,

Bid the prophet's form appear.

"Samuel, raise thy buried head!

"King, behold the phantom seer!"

On This Day I Complete My Thirty-Sixth Year

‘On This Day I Complete My Thirty-Sixth Year’ by Lord Byron reflects on the poet’s passionate life and his desire for an honorable end, filled with themes of glory and heroism.

Written on his 36th birthday in Missolonghi, Greece, Lord Byron's poem delves into his own perspective on the life he has lived. The poem is rich with imagery related to glory, heroism, and manhood, particularly in its concluding stanzas. Byron uses these elements to express a shift in his own attitude, revealing a yearning to conclude his life in a manner that deems it worth living. The poem serves as a poignant meditation on life, legacy, and the pursuit of honorable death.

Seek out—less often sought than found—

A soldier's grave, for thee the best;

Then look around, and choose thy ground,

And take thy Rest.

When We Two Parted

‘When We Two Parted’ by Byron explores the emotional aftermath of lost love, likely inspired by Lady Frances Wedderburn Webster.

Lord Byron's 'When We Two Parted' was published in 1816, but the poet claimed it was written eight years earlier, likely to protect the identity of Lady Frances Wedderburn Webster. The poem is a sorrowful reflection on the end of a relationship, capturing the despair felt by the speaker. This emotional tone is emphasized through the speaker's tearful silence and the emotional distance of his former lover. The poem serves as a raw and intimate look into the complexities of love and loss.

When we two parted

In silence and tears,

Half broken-hearted

To sever for years,

Darkness

‘Darkness’ by Lord Byron is a foreboding poem that predicts haunting consequences for humanity in the rapidly changing modern world.

Written in July of 1816, Lord Byron's 'Darkness' is a free-verse poem that employs an almost 'epic' style of storytelling to convey its urgent message. The poem consists of 82 lines, many of which end abruptly, symbolizing thoughts plunging into "darkness." Inspired by the events of the year, including the eruption of Mount Tambora that led to unusual atmospheric phenomena and global temperature drops, the poem serves as both a warning against the social inequality of Byron's era and a grim prediction for the future of the planet.

I had a dream, which was not all a dream.

The bright sun was extinguish'd, and the stars

Did wander darkling in the eternal space,

Rayless, and pathless, and the icy earth

Apostrophe to the Ocean

‘Apostrophe to the Ocean’ by Lord Byron is an excerpt from Byron’s long, epic poem ‘Childe Harold’s Pilgrimage.’ The excerpt includes seven stanzas from the poem, starting with stanza CLXXVIII, or 178, and ending with stanza 184.

This is a beautiful excerpt from Lord Byron's poetry. It deals with themes that he's well-known for and successfully demonstrates his skill with language and his poetic style. The seven stanzas should be considered some of Byron's most interesting and effective.

There is a pleasure in the pathless woods,

There is a rapture on the lonely shore,

There is society where none intrudes,

By the deep Sea, and music in its roar:

Oh! Snatched Away in Beauty’s Bloom

‘Oh! Snatch’s Away in Beauty’s Bloom’ by Lord Byron is a beautiful poem about grief and the importance of expressing such emotions as a means of catharsis.

This is another beautiful poem from Lord Byron that underscores the various Romantic ideals and sentiments contained within his poetry. This includes a reverence for nature that translates to the speaker's love of their dead beloved. But the poem also crucially presents Byron's argument in favor of emotion and such sentimentalism as grieving for those who've died, presenting it as neither weakness nor a riddle to be solved by reason.

Oh! snatched away in beauty’s bloom,

On thee shall press no ponderous tomb;

But on thy turf shall roses rear

Their leaves, the earliest of ' the year;

Prometheus

‘Prometheus’ by Lord Byron is a heart-warming ode to Prometheus for his selflessness and service to humanity.

Lord Byron was a Romantic poet. He participated actively in the Romantic movement. He is considered one of the most prolific English poets. ‘Prometheus’ is about Prometheus, a figure from Greek mythology known for sacrificing a lot for humanity. The poem is a testimony to his literary prowess; however, it is not one of his best.

Titan! to whose immortal eyes

The sufferings of mortality,

Seen in their sad reality,

Were not as things that gods despise;

What was thy pity's recompense?

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Solitude

‘Solitude’ describes how a person can feel content and supported in nature, yet isolated and alone when surrounded by other people.

The poem captures Byron's sense of respect and awe in nature, though perhaps it fails to capture his infamous enjoyment of the company of others. This poem is not regarded as Byroin's best-known, but it is still well-worth reading if you enjoy the poet's work.

To sit on rocks, to muse o'er flood and fell,

To slowly trace the forest's shady scene,

Where things that own not man's dominion dwell,

And mortal foot hath ne'er or rarely been;

Childe Harold’s Pilgrimage

Byron’s ‘Childe Harold’s Pilgrimage’ muses on the force of nature and the insignificance of humans, embodying transformation and the sublime.

There is a pleasure in the pathless woods,

There is a rapture on the lonely shore,

There is society where none intrudes,

By the deep Sea, and music in its roar:

Epitaph to a Dog

‘Epitaph to a Dog’ by Lord Byron is also known as ‘Inscription on the Monument to a Newfoundland Dog.’ It was written in 1808 after the poet’s dog Boatswain died of rabies.

When some proud Son of Man returns to Earth,

Unknown to Glory but upheld by Birth,

The sculptor's art exhausts the pomp of woe,

And storied urns record who rests below:

Fare Thee Well

‘Fare Thee Well’ by Lord Byron is a fifteen stanza poem written by Byron after separating from his wife in the early 1800s.

Fare thee well! and if for ever,

Still for ever, fare thee well:

Even though unforgiving, never

'Gainst thee shall my heart rebel.

Lines Inscribed Upon a Cup Formed From a Skull

‘Lines Inscribed Upon a Cup Formed From a Skull’ was written in 1808 and expresses Byron’s disdainful thoughts surrounding death.

Start not—nor deem my spirit fled:

In me behold the only skull

From which, unlike a living head,

Whatever flows is never dull.

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