Lord Byron — To Lesbia

To Lesbia! [i] [1] 1. LESBIA! since far from you I've rang'd, [ii] Our souls with fond affection glow not; You say, 'tis I, not you, have chang'd, I'd tell you why,—but yet I know not. 2. Your polish'd brow no cares have crost; And Lesbia! we are not much older, [iii] Since, trembling, first my heart I lost, Or told my love, with hope grown bolder. 3. Sixteen was then our utmost age, Two years have lingering pass'd away, love! And now new thoughts our minds engage, At least, I feel disposed to stray, love! 4. "Tis I that am alone to blame, I, that am guilty of love's treason; Since your sweet breast is still the same, Caprice must be my only reason. 5. I do not, love! suspect your truth, With jealous doubt my bosom heaves not; Warm was the passion of my youth, One trace of dark deceit it leaves not. 6. No, no, my flame was not pretended; For, oh! I lov'd you most sincerely; And though our dream at last is ended My bosom still esteems you dearly. 7. No more we meet in yonder bowers; Absence has made me prone to roving; [iv] But older, firmer hearts than ours Have found monotony in loving. 8. Your cheek's soft bloom is unimpair'd, New beauties, still, are daily bright'ning, Your eye, for conquest beams prepar'd, [v] The forge of love's resistless lightning. 9. Arm'd thus, to make their bosoms bleed, Many will throng, to sigh like me, love! More constant they may prove, indeed; Fonder, alas! they ne'er can be, love! 1806. [Footnote 1: "The lady's name was Julia Leacroft" ('Note by Miss E. Pigot'). The word "Julia" (?) is added, in a lady's hand, in the annotated copy of 'P. on V. Occasions', p. 52 (British Museum)] [Footnote i: 'To Julia'. [4to]] [Footnote ii: 'Julia since'. [4to]] [Footnote iii: 'And Julia'. [4to]] [Footnote iv: Perhaps my soul's too pure for roving. [4to]] [Footnote v: Your eye for conquest comes prepar'd. [4to]]