And Thou Art Dead, as Young and Fair
The poem explores the theme of mortality and the transience of life. It describes a young woman's beauty and vitality, but also her inevitable decline into death. The speaker reflects on how she will be remembered after she dies, and how her beauty will fade with time. The poem is a meditation on the fleeting nature of human existence and the inevitability of death.
By Lord Byron · First published 1817 · Genre: Elegy, Romantic Poetry, Lyric Poetry · 718 words
First lines
And thou art dead, as young and fair As aught of mortal birth; And form so soft, and charms so rare, Too soon return'd to Earth! Though Earth received them in her bed And o'er the spot the crowd may tread In carelessness or mirth, There is an eye which could not brook A moment on that grave to look.
I will not ask where thou liest low, Nor gaze upon the spot; There flowers or weeds at will may grow, So I behold them not: It is enough for me to prove That what I loved, and long must love, Like common earth can rot; To me there needs no stone to tell,‘ Tis Nothing that I loved so well.
What this Textopian page supports
And Thou Art Dead, as Young and Fair is listed on Textopian as a poem by Lord Byron, dated 1817 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Poem
- Author: Lord Byron
- Date: 1817 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Elegy, Romantic Poetry, Lyric Poetry, Mortality, Sentimental Poetry
- Length: 718 words
- Structure: 1 section, 9 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)
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- Work identity for And Thou Art Dead, as Young and Fair by Lord Byron
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Discussion starters
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Similar titles
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- Oh Sleep Forever by Edna St Vincent Millay
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- Remind Me Not Remind Me Not by Lord Byron
- To A Little Lover Lass Dead by Langston Hughes
- A Valentine by Edgar Allan Poe
Genres
- Elegy — The poem mourns the death of a young and beautiful person, expressing deep sorrow and loss.
- Romantic Poetry — The poem reflects themes of love, beauty, and nature, characteristic of Romantic literature.
- Lyric Poetry — The poem is a personal expression of emotion, focusing on the speaker's feelings and thoughts.
- Mortality — The poem contemplates death and the impermanence of life, a central theme throughout the verses.
Tags
Poetry · Romanticism · Tragedy · Death · Love · Loss · Grief · Mortality · Beauty · Youth · Fleeting Nature of Life · Impermanence