Meter in Lyrics

Evaluate the following poem by Lord Byron. Pick one stanza and mark the strong and weak syllables.

SHE walks in beauty, like the night
Of cloudless climes and starry skies,
And all that's best of dark and bright
Meets in her aspect and her eyes;
Thus mellow’d to that tender light
Which Heaven to gaudy day denies.

One shade the more, one ray the less,
Had half impair’d the nameless grace
Which waves in every raven tress
Or softly lightens o’er her face,
Where thoughts serenely sweet express
How pure, how dear their dwelling-place.

And on that cheek and o’er that brow
So soft, so calm, yet eloquent,
The smiles that win, the tints that glow,
But tell of days in goodness spent,—
A mind at peace with all below,
A heart whose love is innocent.

Write a short paragraph considering the following:
• Are there the same number of poetic feet in each line?
• Do the lines match each other in terms of stress?
• Do the lines that rhyme match each other in feet and stress?

If any exist, identify:
o Rhyme
o Alliteration
o Internal rhyme
o Any other poetic device

Consider the other two stanzas
o Are they structure the same as the one you analyzed?
o Are they rhythmically the same?