Thou Art not False, but Thou Art Fickle
The poem explores the speaker's conflicted emotions towards a loved one who has been unfaithful. The speaker acknowledges their own flaws and weaknesses, but also expresses hurt and betrayal at being deceived. The tone is introspective and melancholic, with a focus on the complexities of human relationships and the fragility of trust.
By Lord Byron · First published 1819 · Genre: Poetry, Romantic, Lyric · 260 words
First lines
Thou art not false, but thou art fickle, / To those thyself so fondly sought; / The tears that thou hast forced to trickle / Are doubly bitter from that thought: / `Tis this which breaks the heart thou grievest / Too well thou lov'st - too soon thou leavest.
The wholly false the heart despises, / And spurns deceiver and deceit; / But she who not a thought disguises, / Whose love is as sincere as sweet, / When she can change who loved so truly, / It feels what mine has felt so newly.
What this Textopian page supports
Thou Art not False, but Thou Art Fickle is listed on Textopian as a poem by Lord Byron, dated 1819 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: 1819 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Poetry, Romantic, Lyric, Tragedy, Philosophical
- Length: 260 words
- Structure: 1 section, 4 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Standard (8th-9th Grade)
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- Work identity for Thou Art not False, but Thou Art Fickle by Lord Byron
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Genres
- Poetry — The work is structured in verse form with a focus on rhythm and meter, characteristic of poetry.
- Romantic — Themes of love, emotion, and personal reflection align with the Romantic genre.
- Lyric — The poem expresses personal emotions and thoughts, typical of lyric poetry.
- Tragedy — The themes of heartbreak and sorrow suggest elements of tragedy.
Tags
Romanticism · Poetry · Philosophy · Existentialism · Mortality · Fickleness · Human Nature · Morality · Ethics · Free Will · Determinism · Self-Discovery