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In this episode of Elixir, Helen is talking to Mark Saunders, a writer and broadcaster, about ‘She Walks in Beauty’ by Lord Byron (1788—1824)
Lord Byron
Topics:
Physical & inner beauty
Beauty in the world around us
How Poetry got Mark into reading books
“No one should tell you how you should interpret Shakespeare, any book, or poetry”
Classism in the arts
Poets are the primary victims in times of oppression - the power of the written word
Mark reads the poem again after you’ve heard his context with music set to it
Text of the Poem
She Walks in Beauty by Lord Byron
She walks in beauty, like the night
Of cloudless climes and starry skies;
And all that’s best of dark and bright
Meet in her aspect and her eyes;
Thus mellowed to that tender light
Which heaven to gaudy day denies.
One shade the more, one ray the less,
Had half impaired the nameless grace
Which waves in every raven tress,
Or softly lightens o’er her face;
Where thoughts serenely sweet express,
How pure, how dear their dwelling-place.
And on that cheek, and o’er that brow,
So soft, so calm, yet eloquent,
The smiles that win, the tints that glow,
But tell of days in goodness spent,
A mind at peace with all below,
A heart whose love is innocent!
Copyright Credit: George Gordon, Lord Byron. "She Walks in Beauty" from Hebrew Melodies. London: John Murray, 1832-33. Public Domain.
Source: Hebrew Melodies (John Murray, 1832)
https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/43844/she-walks-in-beauty
About Lord Byron
https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poets/lord-byron
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lord_Byron
She Walks in Beauty by LORD BYRON (read by Tom Hiddleston): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aHxY5wygrD8
About Mark Saunders
Mark is a former Writer, former Journalist and Teacher
