She Walks in Beauty by George Gordon Lord Byron

Poetry may be one of the most common vehicles for emotional expression, especially the expression of romantic love. From Milton to Shakespeare, poets have woven words that capture their audiences as well as the object of their affection. Often the verses that talented poets pen linger for years, even centuries, as love is a universal experience. Love poems also appeal to all readers, especially if their language is straightforward and accessible. Without resorting to complicated diction or convoluted metaphors, George Gordon, Lord Byron, communicates his affection and admiration for his female lover in "She Walks in Beauty." Moreover, "She Walks in Beauty" affects me personally because it reminds me of romantic ideals; like love itself, the poem is at once simple and evocative.

Lord Byron does not use unnecessary symbolism to describe his love. Instead, he extends metaphors to color the nature of his emotions. The first line of the poem sets the mood for the entire piece: "She walks in beauty, like the night" evokes the soft, gentle, subdued nature of his affection that persists throughout the three-stanza poem. The first stanza is my personal favorite, as it encompasses a myriad of contrasts: "all that's best if dark and bright." Byron describes the subtle yet powerful beauty of the woman by contrasting her "tender light" to the "gaudy day." Besides being a lovely and strong image, this extended metaphor reminds me of the nature of aesthetic beauty. Physical attractiveness is not only the glossy, flashy kind evident in the mass media. Rather, the most attractive individuals possess a "mellow'd," "Tender light / Which heaven to gaudy day denies." Often, I cannot put a finger on why I find a person attractive, because it has more to do with that kind of subtle beauty. Sometimes people who have perfect features are not as appealing to me; they are like the "gaudy day." Thus, through his well-chosen words, Lord Byron perfectly reflects the uncluttered nature of true love.

We all crave the kind of love and romance that Lord Byron describes in "She Walks in Beauty." This poem reminds me of the times I have experienced genuine affection; not the fleeting nature of crushes or the obsessive qualities of some relationships. Instead, Byron writes about a "soft...calm, yet eloquent" love. This is the kind of love I value, even if the initial effects of infatuations are more intoxicating. Byron paints a picture of his lover as being serene and sweet; she is not depicted as being aloof or at all arrogant. There is no power play game with Byron and the subject of the poem. This is true love, the kind of love that is pure, honest, and good. Both Byron and his lover have "a heart whose love is innocent." This final line of the poem sums up the quality of love that Byron describes and the kind of love that I would like to experience throughout my life. It is both requited and genuine.