
The poem describes a moment of separation between two lovers, with the speaker lamenting their parting and expressing regret for his own role in it. The tone is melancholic and introspective, with a focus on the emotional pain caused by the separation.
By Lord Byron · First published 1816 · Genre: Romantic Poetry, Lyric Poetry, Elegy · 255 words
When we two parted / In silence and tears, / Half broken-hearted / To sever for years, / Pale grew thy cheek and cold, / Colder thy kiss; / Truly that hour foretold / Sorrow to this.
The dew of the morning / Sunk chill on my brow - / It felt like the warning / Of what I feel now. / Thy vows are all broken, / And light is thy fame; / I hear thy name spoken, / And share in its shame.
They name thee before me, / A knell to mine ear; / A shrudder comes o'er me - / Why wert thou so dear? / They know not I knew thee, / Who knew thee so well - / Long, long I shall rue thee, / Too deeply to tell.
When we Two Parted is listed on Textopian as a poem by Lord Byron, dated 1816 CE.
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Poem · Romanticism · Love · Loss · Separation · Longing · Memory · Nostalgia · Regret · Pain · Sorrow · Heartbreak