To Lesbia
by George Gordon, Lord Byron

(From Hours of Idleness - 1807)


    1
  1.   Lesbia! since far from you I’ve ranged,
  2.      Our souls with fond affection glow not;
  3.   You say ’tis I, not you, have changed,
  4.      I’d tell you why,—but yet I know not.

    2
  5.   Your polish’d brow no cares have crost;
  6.      And, Lesbia! we are not much older,
  7.   Since, trembling, first my heart I lost,
  8.      Or told my love, with hope grown bolder.

    3
  9.   Sixteen was then our utmost age,
  10.      Two years have lingering past away, love!
  11.   And now new thoughts our minds engage,
  12.      At least I feel disposed to stray, love!

    4
  13.   ’Tis I that am alone to blame,
  14.      I, that am guilty of love’s treason;
  15.   Since your sweet breast is still the same,
  16.      Caprice must be my only reason.

    5
  17.   I do not, love! suspect your truth,
  18.      With jealous doubt my bosom heaves not;
  19.   Warm was the passion of my youth,
  20.      One trace of dark deceit it leaves not.

    6
  21.   No, no, my flame was not pretended,
  22.      For, Oh! I loved you most sincerely;
  23.   And—though our dream at last is ended—
  24.      My bosom still esteems you dearly.

    7
  25.   No more we meet in yonder bowers;
  26.      Absence has made me prone to roving;
  27.   But older, firmer hearts than ours
  28.      Have found monotony in loving.

    8
  29.   Your cheek’s soft bloom is unimpair’d,
  30.      New beauties still are daily bright’ning,
  31.   Your eye for conquest beams prepared,
  32.      The forge of love’s resistless lightning.

    9
  33.   Arm’d thus, to make their bosoms bleed,
  34.      Many will throng to sigh like me, love!
  35.   More constant they may prove, indeed;
  36.      Fonder, alas! they ne’er can be, love!

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