| William Stanley Braithwaite, ed. The Book of Georgian Verse. 1909. | | | | When We Two Parted | | By Lord Byron (1788–1824) |
| | | WHEN we two parted | |
| In silence and tears, | |
| Half broken-hearted | |
| To sever for years, | |
| Pale grew thy cheek and cold, | 5 |
| Colder thy kiss; | |
| Truly that hour foretold | |
| Sorrow to this. | |
| |
| The dew of the morning | |
| Sunk chill on my brow— | 10 |
| 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, | 15 |
| And share in its shame. | |
| |
| They name thee before me, | |
| A knell to mine ear; | |
| A shudder comes o’er me | |
| Why wert thou so dear? | 20 |
| They know not I knew thee: | |
| Who knew thee too well: | |
| Long, long shall I rue thee, | |
| Too deeply to tell. | |
| |
| In secret we met— | 25 |
| In silence I grieve, | |
| That thy heart could forget, | |
| Thy spirit deceive. | |
| If I should meet thee | |
| After long years, | 30 |
| How should I greet thee?— | |
| With silence and tears. | | | | |
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