Poem: She Walks in Beauty

[lynnoconnacht]

Picking poetry to share is hard, especially when you're sharing someone else's. So, this week's totally unofficial theme is The Romantic Period!

Today's poem is a fairly well-known one by Byron. Byron is one of the main late Romantic poets along with Percy Byssche Shelley and John Keats. She Walks in Beauty is actually one of Byron's most well-known poems. (It also happens to be one of my favourites and one of the few poems I can reliably quote from.)

One of the potentially lesser known facts about this particular poem is that it's been set to music at least twice. Once during Byron's own lifetime in the book Hebrew Melodies, which it was (or at least appears to have been) originally composed for. It was also used in the 2004 movie adaptation of Vanity Fair, where the song is performed by Sissel Kyrkjebø and composed by Mychael Danna.

Once upon a time, I found a link to what I was certainly led to believe was a rendition of the original score, but I can't find that anymore. Instead, have this link to the arrangement used in the 2004 film if you're interested in hearing it. ^_^

Enjoy!

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 mellow'd to that tender light
Which heaven to gaudy day denies.
One shade the more, one ray the less,
Had half impair'd 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 of days in goodness spent,
A mind at peace with all below,
A heart whose love is innocent!

~ by George Gordon Byron
~ quoted from The Poetical Works of Lord Byron

Comments

[jjhunter]

I really enjoyed the musical recording. I've always been interested in that intersection between poetry and lyrics, but for some reason never thought of actually putting poetry to music.

*is tempted to start doing so with some of her own poems*

[lynnoconnacht]

It can be very rewarding. ^-^ Hard work, though, and the harder if you're not a skilled musician/composer (like me). I used to write poetry to music - the melodic line in my head or an instrumental piece I was listening to - and it was always a lot of fun. ^-^

*tries to tempt more*

[jjhunter]

*resists*

It's as much as I can do to improvise the occasional addition to my Hallelujah Project. Recording spoken rather than sung poetry on the other hand...see the notice I just posted to the comm re: next week.

[lynnoconnacht]

*teeeeeempt* It's supposed to get easier with practice... That's a neat project, though! ^-^ You could try writing to one of the melodies you've already got there, if you wanted to try it. They sound like good, strong melodies to use.

And that is a great idea! ^-^

[jjhunter]

I hope it will prove to be so! It's going to be a crazy-busy week for me, and I've noticed that I've been recording a lot of singing lately as a stress relief, so I'm hoping putting together the posts will serve as a thread of creative oasis in the push of the everyday.

[lynnoconnacht]

*sends good thoughts* I hope the week'll be kinder to you thank it sounds like it will be and that the posts help you out with the stress!

[smw]

I'll be keeping an eye out for poems you post in the future; I like your taste. Poems that edify the beauty and innocence of a woman do not normally appeal to me, but there's something personal about this piece that allows me to imagine a real person behind its description -- and that's certainly nothing to hackle at.

[lynnoconnacht]

D'aaw. *blush* Thank you. I'm glad you've enjoyed the poems I picked. ^-^

Byron (allegedly) wrote this piece after seeing one of his cousins in a mourning gown, which may be why the poem has that personal feel to it.