To my Son by Lord Byron (1816)
The poem is a lamentation of the loss of innocence and the corrupting influence of society on children. It describes how a young boy's natural purity and curiosity are gradually destroyed by the cruel and hypocritical adults around him, who teach him to be selfish and deceitful. The speaker expresses his sorrow at being unable to protect his son from this corruption and laments the loss of their innocence together.
By Lord Byron · First published 1816 · Genre: Poetry, Romantic, Elegy · 406 words
First lines
Those flaxen locks, those eyes of blue Bright as thy mother's in their hue; Those rosy lips, whose dimples play And smile to steal the heart away, Recall a scene of former joy, And touch thy fathers heart, my Boy!
And thou canst lisp a father's name - Ah, William, were thine own the same, No self-reproach - but, let me cease - My care for thee shall purchase peace; Thy mother's shade shall smile in joy, And pardon all the past, my Boy!
What this Textopian page supports
To my Son is listed on Textopian as a poem by Lord Byron, dated 1816 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: 1816 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Poetry, Romantic, Elegy, Family, Sentimental
- Length: 406 words
- Structure: 1 section, 6 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)
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Discussion starters
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Genres
- Poetry — The work is structured in verse form with rhyme and meter, characteristic of poetry.
- Romantic — The themes of love, nature, and personal emotion align with Romantic literary traditions.
- Elegy — The poem reflects on loss and mourning, particularly the death of the child's mother.
- Family — The focus on the relationship between father and son highlights familial bonds.
Tags
Poem · Sonnet · Elegy · Autobiographical · Personal · Emotional · Intimate · Confessional · Romantic · 18th Century · Literary · Classical