Lines Addressed To a Young Lady
by George Gordon, Lord Byron

(From Hours of Idleness - 1807)


    1
  1.   Doubtless, sweet girl! the hissing lead,
  2.      Wafting destruction o’er thy charms,
  3.   And hurtling o’er thy lovely head,
  4.      Has fill’d that breast with fond alarms.

    2
  5.   Surely some envious demon’s force,
  6.      Vex’d to behold such beauty here,
  7.   Impell’d the bullet’s viewless course,
  8.      Diverted from its first career.

    3
  9.   Yes! in that nearly fatal hour
  10.      The ball obey’d some hell-born guide;
  11.   But Heaven, with interposing power,
  12.      In pity turn’d the death aside.

    4
  13.   Yet, as perchance one trembling tear
  14.      Upon that thrilling bosom fell;
  15.   Which I, th’ unconscious cause of fear,
  16.      Extracted fromn its glistening cell:

    5
  17.   Say, what dire penance can atone
  18.      For such an outrage done to thee?
  19.   Arraign’d before thy beauty’s throne,
  20.      What punishment wilt thou decree?

    6
  21.   Might I perform the judge’s part,
  22.      The sentence I should scarce deplore;
  23.   It only would restore a heart
  24.      Which but belong’d to thee before.

    7
  25.   The least atonement I can make
  26.      Is to become no longer free;
  27.   Henceforth I breathe but for thy sake,
  28.      Thou shalt be all in all to me.

    8
  29.   But thou, perhaps, may’st now reject
  30.      Such expiation of my guilt;
  31.   Come then, some other mode elect;
  32.      Let it be death, or what thou wilt.

    9
  33.   Choose then, relentless! and I swear
  34.      Naught shall thy dread decree prevent;
  35.   Yet hold—one little word forbear!
  36.      Let it be aught but banishment.

www.MyKeep.com