Selected Poems

by Byron

As if she late had bent her leaning head

  Above some object of her doubt or dread.

  They meet - upon her brow – unknown – forgot –

  415

  Her hurrying hand had left – ’twas but a spot –

  Its hue was all he saw, and scarce withstood –

  Oh! slight but certain pledge of crime – ’tis blood!

  X

  He had seen battle – he had brooded lone

  O’er promised pangs to sentenced guilt foreshown;

  420

  He had been tempted – chasten’d – and the chain

  Yet on his arms might ever there remain:

  But ne’er from strife – captivity – remorse –

  From all his feelings in their inmost force –

  So thrill’d – so shudder’d every creeping vein,

  425

  As now they froze before that purple stain.

  That spot of blood, that light but guilty streak,

  Had banish’d all the beauty from her cheek!

  Blood he had view’d – could view unmoved – but then

  It flow’d in combat, or was shed by men!

  XI

  430

  ‘ ’Tis done – he nearly waked – but it is done.

  Corsair! he perish’d – thou art dearly won.

  All words would now be vain – away – away!

  Our bark is tossing – ’tis already day.

  The few gain’d over, now are wholly mine,

  435

  And these thy yet surviving band shall join:

  Anon my voice shall vindicate my hand,

  When once our sail forsakes this hated strand.’

  XII

  She clapp’d her hands – and through the gallery pour,

  Equipp’d for flight, her vassals – Greek and Moor:

  440

  Silent but quick they stoop, his chains unbind;

  Once more his limbs are free as mountain wind!

  But on his heavy heart such sadness sate,

  As if they there transferr’d that iron weight.

  No words are utter’d – at her sign, a door

  445

  Reveals the secret passage to the shore;

  The city lies behind – they speed, they reach

  The glad waves dancing on the yellow beach;

  And Conrad following, at her beck, obey’d,

  Nor cared he now if rescued or betray’d;

  450

  Resistance were as useless as if Seyd

  Yet lived to view the doom his ire decreed.

  XIII

  Embark’d, the sail unfurl’d, the light breeze blew –

  How much had Conrad’s memory to review!

  Sunk he in Contemplation, till the cape

  455

  Where last he anchor’d rear’d its giant shape.

  Ah! – since that fatal night, though brief the time,

  Had swept an age of terror, grief, and crime.

  As its far shadow frown’d above the mast,

  He veil’d his face, and sorrow’d as he pass’d;

  460

  He thought of all – Gonsalvo and his band,

  His fleeting triumph and his failing hand;

  He thought on her afar, his lonely bride:

  He turn’d and saw – Gulnare, the homicide!

  XIV

  She watch’d his features till she could not bear

  465

  Their freezing aspect and averted air,

  And that strange fierceness foreign to her eye,

  Fell quench’d in tears, too late to shed or dry.

  She knelt beside him and his hand she press’d,

  ‘Thou may’st forgive though Allah’s self detest;

  470

  But for that deed of darkness what wert thou?

  Reproach me – but not yet – Oh! spare me now!

  I am not what I seem – this fearful night

  My brain bewilder’d – do not madden quite!

  If I had never loved – though less my guilt,

  475

  Thou hadst not lived to – hate me – if thou wilt.’

  XV

  She wrongs his thoughts, they more himself upbraid

  Than her, though undesign’d, the wretch he made;

  But speechless all, deep, dark, and unexprest,

  They bleed within that silent cell – his breast.

  480

  Still onward, fair the breeze, nor rough the surge,

  The blue waves sport around the stern they urge;

  Far on the horizon’s verge appears a speck,

  A spot – a mast – a sail – an armed deck!

  Their little bark her men of watch descry,

  485

  And ampler canvass woos the wind from high;

  She bears her down majestically near,

  Speed on her prow, and terror in her tier;

  A flash is seen – the ball beyond her bow

  Booms harmless, hissing to the deep below.

  490

  Up rose keen Conrad from his silent trance,

  A long, long absent gladness in his glance;

  ‘ ’Tis mine – my blood-red flag! again – again –

  I am not all deserted on the main!’

  They own the signal, answer to the hail,

  495

  Hoist out the boat at once, and slacken sail.

  ‘ ’Tis Conrad! Conrad!’ shouting from the deck,

  Command nor duty could their transport check!

  With light alacrity and gaze of pride,

  They view him mount once more his vessel’s side;

  500

  A smile relaxing in each rugged face,

  Their arms can scarce forbear a rough embrace.

  He, half forgetting danger and defeat,

  Returns their greeting as a chief may greet,

  Wrings with a cordial grasp Anselmo’s hand,

  505

  And feels he yet can conquer and command!

  XVI

  These greetings o’er, the feelings that o’erflow,

  Yet grieve to win him back without a blow;

  They sail’d prepared for vengeance – had they known

  A woman’s hand secured that deed her own,

  510

  She were their queen – less scrupulous are they

  Than haughty Conrad how they win their way.

  With many an asking smile and wondering stare,

  They whisper round, and gaze upon Gulnare;

  And her, at once above – beneath her sex,

  515

  Whom blood appall’d not, their regards perplex.

  To Conrad turns her faint imploring eye,

  She drops her veil, and stands in silence by;

  Her arms are meekly folded on that breast,

  Which – Conrad safe – to fate resign’d the rest.

  520

  Though worse than frenzy could that bosom fill,

  Extreme in love or hate, in good or ill,

  The worst of crimes had left her woman still!

  XVII

  This Conrad mark’d, and felt – ah! could he less? –

  Hate of that deed – but grief for her distress;

  525

  What she has done no tears can wash away,

  And Heaven must punish on its angry day:

  But – it was done: he knew, whate’er her guilt,

  For him that poniard smote, that blood was spilt;

  And he was free! – and she for him had given

  530

  Her all on earth, and more than all in heaven!

  And now he turn’d him to that dark’d-eyed slave

  Whose brow was bow’d beneath the glance he gave,

  Who now seem’d changed and humbled: – faint and meek,

  But varying oft the colour of her cheek

  535

  To deeper shades of paleness – all its red

  That fearful spot which stain’d i
t from the dead!

  He took that hand – it trembled – now too late –

  So soft in love – so wildly nerved in hate;

  He clasp’d that hand – it trembled – and his own

  540

  Had lost its firmness, and his voice its tone.

  ‘Gulnare!’ – but she replied not – ‘dear Gulnare!’

  She raised her eye – her only answer there –

  At once she sought and sunk in his embrace:

  If he had driven her from that resting-place,

  545

  His had been more or less than mortal heart,

  But – good or ill – it bade her not depart.

  Perchance, but for the bodings of his breast,

  His latest virtue then had join’d the rest.

  Yet even Medora might forgive the kiss

  550

  That ask’d from form so fair no more than this,

  The first, the last that Frailty stole from Faith –

  To lips where Love had lavish’d all his breath,

  To lips – whose broken sighs such fragrance fling,

  As he had fann’d them freshly with his wing!

  XVIII

  555

  They gain by twilight’s hour their lonely isle.

  To them the very rocks appear to smile;

  The haven hums with many a cheering sound,

  The beacons blaze their wonted stations round,

  The boats are darting o’er the curly bay,

  560

  And sportive dolphins bend them through the spray;

  Even the hoarse sea-bird’s shrill, discordant shriek,

  Greets like the welcome of his tuneless beak!

  Beneath each lamp that through its lattice gleams,

  Their fancy paints the friends that trim the beams.

  565

  Oh! what can sanctify the joys of home,

  Like Hope’s gay glance from Ocean’s troubled foam?

  XIX

  The lights are high on beacon and from bower,

  And ’midst them Conrad seeks Medora’s tower:

  He looks in vain – ’tis strange – and all remark,

  570

  Amid so many, hers alone is dark.

  ’Tis strange – of yore its welcome never fail’d,

  Nor now, perchance, extinguish’d, only veil’d.

  With the first boat descends he for the shore,

  And looks impatient on the lingering oar.

  575

  Oh! for a wing beyond the falcon’s flight,

  To bear him like an arrow to that height!

  With the first pause the resting rowers gave,

  He waits not – looks not – leaps into the wave,

  Strives through the surge, bestrides the beach, and high

  580

  Ascends the path familiar to his eye.

  He reach’d his turret door – he paused – no sound

  Broke from within; and all was night around.

  He knock’d, and loudly – footstep nor reply

  Announced that any heard or deem’d him nigh;

  585

  He knock’d – but faintly – for his trembling hand

  Refused to aid his heavy heart’s demand.

  The portal opens – ’tis a well known face –

  But not the form he panted to embrace.

  Its lips are silent – twice his own essay’d,

  590

  And fail’d to frame the question they delay’d;

  He snatch’d the lamp – its light will answer all –

  It quits his grasp, expiring in the fall.

  He would not wait for that reviving ray –

  As soon could he have linger’d there for day;

  595

  But, glimmering through the dusky corridore,

  Another chequers o’er the shadow’d floor;

  His steps the chamber gain – his eyes behold

  All that his heart believed not – yet foretold!

  XX

  He turn’d not – spoke not – sunk not – fix’d his look,

  600

  And set the anxious frame that lately shook:

  He gazed – how long we gaze despite of pain,

  And know, but dare not own, we gaze in vain!

  In life itself she was so still and fair,

  That death with gentler aspect wither’d there;

  605

  And the cold flowers1 her colder hand contain’d,

  In that last grasp as tenderly were strain’d

  As if she scarcely felt, but feign’d a sleep,

  And made it almost mockery yet to weep:

  The long dark lashes fringed her lids of snow,

  610

  And veil’d – thought shrinks from all that lurk’d below –

  Oh! o’er the eye Death most exerts his might,

  And hurls the spirit from her throne of light!

  Sinks those blue orbs in that long last eclipse,

  But spares, as yet, the charm around her lips –

  615

  Yet, yet they seem as they forbore to smile,

  And wish’d repose – but only for a while;

  But the white shroud, and each extended tress,

  Long – fair – but spread in utter lifelessness,

  Which, late the sport of every summer wind,

  620

  Escaped the baffled wreath that strove to bind;

  These – and the pale pure cheek, became the bier –

  But she is nothing – wherefore is he here?

  XXI

  He ask’d no question – all were answer’d now

  By the first glance on that still – marble brow.

  625

  It was enough – she died – what reck’d it how?

  The love of youth, the hope of better years,

  The source of softest wishes, tenderest fears,

  The only living thing he could not hate,

  Was reft at once – and he deserved his fate,

  630

  But did not feel it less; – the good explore,

  For peace, those realms where guilt can never soar:

  The proud – the wayward – who have fix’d below

  Their joy, and find this earth enough for woe,

  Lose in that one their all – perchance a mite –

  635

  But who in patience parts with all delight?

  Full many a stoic eye and aspect stern

  Mask hearts where grief hath little left to learn;

  And many a withering thought lies hid, not lost,

  In smiles that least befit who wear them most.

  XXII

  640

  By those, that deepest feel, is ill exprest

  The indistinctness of the suffering breast;

  Where thousand thoughts begin to end in one,

  Which seeks from all the refuge found in none;

  No words suffice the secret soul to show,

  645

  For Truth denies all eloquence to Woe.

  On Conrad’s stricken soul exhaustion prest,

  And stupor almost lull’d it into rest;

  So feeble now – his mother’s softness crept

  To those wild eyes, which like an infant’s wept:

  650

  It was the very weakness of his brain,

  Which thus confess’d without relieving pain

  None saw his trickling tears – perchance, if seen,

  That useless flood of grief had never been:

  Nor long they flow’d – he dried them to depart,

  655

  In helpless – hopeless – brokenness of heart:

  The sun goes forth – but Conrad’s day is dim;

  And the night cometh – ne’er to pass from him.

  There is no darkness like the cloud of mind,

  On Grief’s vain eye – the blindest of the blind!

  660

  Which may not – dare not see – but
turns aside

  To blackest shade – nor will endure a guide!

  XXIII

  His heart was form’d for softness – warp’d to wrong;

  Betray’d too early, and beguiled too long;

  Each feeling pure – as falls the dropping dew

  665

  Within the grot; like that had harden’d too;

  Less clear, perchance, its earthly trials pass’d,

  But sunk, and chill’d, and petrified at last.

  Yet tempests wear, and lightning cleaves the rock,

  If such his heart, so shatter’d it the shock.

  670

  There grew one flower beneath its rugged brow,

  Though dark the shade – it shelter’d – saved till now.

  The thunder came – that bolt hath blasted both,

  The Granite’s firmness, and the Lily’s growth:

  The gentle plant hath left no leaf to tell

  675

  Its tale, but shrunk and wither’d where it fell;

  And of its cold protector, blacken round

  But shiver’d fragments on the barren ground!

  XXIV

  ’Tis morn – to venture on his lonely hour

  Few dare; though now Anselmo sought his tower.

  680

  He was not there – nor seen along the shore;

  Ere night, alarm’d, their isle is traversed o’er:

  Another morn – another bids them seek,

  And shout his name till echo waxeth weak;

  Mount – grotto – cavern – valley search’d in vain,

  685

  They find on shore a sea-boat’s broken chain:

  Their hope revives – they follow o’er the main.

  ’Tis idle all – moons roll on moons away,

  And Conrad comes not – came not since that day:

  Nor trace, nor tidings of his doom declare

  690

  Where lives his grief, or perished his despair!

  Long mourn’d his band whom none could mourn beside;

  And fair the monument they gave his bride:

  For him they raise not the recording stone –

  His death yet dubious, deeds too widely known;

  695

  He left a Corsair’s name to other times,

  Link’d with one virtue, and a thousand crimes.1

  Ode to Napoleon Buonaparte

  ‘Expende Annibalem: – quot libras in duce summo Invenles!’

  JUVENAL, Sat. X.

  ‘The Emperor Nepos was acknowledged by the Senate, by the Italians, and by the Provincials of Gaul; his moral virtues, and military talents, were loudly celebrated; and those who derived any private benefit from his government announced in prophetic strains the restoration of public felicity.

  *

  *

  By this shameful abdication, he protracted his life a few years, in a very ambiguous state, between an Emperor and an Exile, till –’

  GIBBON’S Decline and Fall, vol. vi. p. 220.

  I

  ’Tis done - but yesterday a King!