Do you like Byron ............................?

Question

Solitude

To sit on rocks, to muse o'er flood and fell,
To slowly trace the forest's shady scene,
Where things that own not man's dominion dwell,
And mortal foot hath ne'er or rarely been;
To climb the trackless mountain all unseen,
With the wild flock that never needs a fold;
Alone o'er steeps and foaming falls to lean;
This is not solitude, 'tis but to hold
Converse with Nature's charms, and view her stores unrolled.

But midst the crowd, the hurry, the shock of men,
To hear, to see, to feel and to possess,
And roam alone, the world's tired denizen,
With none who bless us, none whom we can bless;
Minions of splendour shrinking from distress!
None that, with kindred consciousness endued,
If we were not, would seem to smile the less
Of all the flattered, followed, sought and sued;
This is to be alone; this, this is solitude!

Your opinions about this poem?

Answer 1

I'm a big fan but, really, deep down, I know that if I'd ever met the guy, I'd have ended up punching him. A self-obsessed, show off and a sick sexual compulsive. "Mad, bad and dangerous to know" was dead right. Does that affect the art? Probably not.

Away ye gay landscapes,
ye gardens o' roses
in you let the minions of luxury rove
and restore me the rock
where the snowflake reposes
the steep roaring valleys
of dark Lochnagar.

Answer 2

I read Don Juan about 20 years ago and have every admiration for a poet who can write stuff like the above, and also write a daft epic like Don Juan, and play with language to such an extent that he'd rhyme subtler with butler, bacon and mistaken and even change the pronounciation of Juan according to whim to make the poem rhyme.
Mad, bad and dangerous to know and don't you just wonder if he really was or whether he just needed the right woman. Ah the eternal appeal of the bad boy.

Answer 3

I'd park in such a spot for a week if I could.

lovey emotions transcribed to words - true poetry!

Answer 4

stunning, never heard it before great to be reminded how wonderful the english language is. if you like that read some dylan thomas it's very similar.

Answer 5

byron bay yeah fantastic place good sea food just up the road as well..

Answer 6

I have no words to say what i feel. And every word is too much to say.

Answer 7

very good poem,not all that up on Byron,but it is pretty profound,kinda liked it.

Answer 8

never met him...but soleil your georgous.

Answer 9

fancy a date BABE?