Byron’s inspiration

The story behind She walks in beauty by Lord Byron is interesting. In June 1814, Byron attended a London party where he first saw Anne Wilmot, his cousin’s wife. She was wearing a striking black mourning dress that was adorned in spangles, and her beauty inspired Byron’s poem, most famously its first four lines:

She walks in beauty,

like the night

Of cloudless climes and

starry skies;

And all that’s best of

dark and bright

Meet in her aspect

and her eyes.

Some have interpreted the ‘cloudless climes and starry skies’ as a description of the famous dress that drew Byron’s attention to Mrs. Wilmot.

Ray of hope

By Bushra Safeer

While thick autumn foliage

Falls over the desolate vale

My heart aches, and silence prevails

No flame burns or even

A gust of wind blows

Beside an isolated tree

A candle flickers … slowly and passionately

A ray of hope twinkles in my heart

I reach to catch

That glimpse of hope

No more cares or worries

In a deep desolate, thick and dark foliage

For we are only humans

By Saman Mehak

We are only humans,

We cry out with sheer joy,

At petty wonders,

We are awed by the bizarre,

We moan our misfortunes,

Or ignore greatest benevolence,

At times, cherish a simple breath,

Thankful and ungrateful,

Forceful yet humble,

We feel like touching the sky,

With feet still on the ground,

Or sometimes the other way round,

And try to find the darkest abode,

Sometimes looking for faith,

For we’ve got to believe in something,

We stay staunch,

Despite the perplexity,

Sinning every minute,

Still looking for absolution,

Fake comfort amidst disaster,

Or frustrate endlessly over nothing,

We find it hard to let go,

And hold on tight,

We try to walk new paths,

Along the way pick up fragments,

To piece together,

And string a life,

See light where there’s none,

Or go blind in broad daylight,

We hear melody in chaos,

Discover magic in reality,

We are all looking for something,

Rummaging through the time,

Stumbling and bracing,

Towards the end,

Every single moment,

Every small act,

For better or for worse,

Despite all wrongs and rights,

All guilt and confusions,

Every laugh and tear,

Every footfall, every slip,

Only makes us more human,

A perfect unbalanced amalgamation!

Silence of Love

By Shafi Rehman

My silence

My unspoken words

Reflect the love of birds

The cherished memories

I keep writing on with heart full of love

Summer has come to end the winter

and I’m still lingering on to end this distance.

I can’t break my silence with a shout

Words there are, full of doubt.

Compiled by SK