Byron's Sonnet
Byron's sonnets are obviously influenced by the Italian form rather than the English
and possess an octave and a sestet. The Octave comprises of a progression of three rhymes
a. b. b. a... a. c. c. a. but it's the sestet that makes it unique,
d. e. d...e. d. e.
.
Sonnet to Genevra
Thine eyes' blue tenderness, thy long fair hair,
And the wan lustre of thy features - caught
From contemplation where serenely wrought,
Seems Sorrow's softness charm'd from its despair-
Have thrown such speaking sadness in thine air
That-but I know thy blessed bosom fraught
With mines of unalloy'd and stainless thought-
I should have deem'd thee doom'd to earthly care.
With such an aspect, by his colours blent,
When from his beauty-breathing pen-cil born
(Except that thou hast nothing to repent),
The Magdalen of Guido saw the morn-
Such seemst thou-but how much more excellent!
With naught Remorse can claim-nor Virtue scorn.
George Gordon, Lord Byron
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