She Walks in Beauty

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She Walks in Beauty is a poem written in 1814 by Lord Byron. It was the first of several poems to be set to Jewish tunes from the synagogue by Isaac Nathan, which were published as Hebrew Melodies in 1815. Singer and songwriter Arion Quinn recorded his own arrangement of the poem sometime in the mid-70s and though it was never commercially released in his lifetime it can be heard for free on his MySpace account, which is maintained by his nephew.[1] Canadian film composer Mychael Danna made another arrangement for the soundtrack of the 2004 production of Vanity Fair and it was performed by vocalist Sissel and The Philharmonia Orchestra.

This poem is not necessarily a love poem, but more of a celebration of the subject's beauty. Some critics have said that Byron fell passionately in love with his cousin and wrote this poem for her. He met her for the first time while she was in mourning over the death of a loved one. Thus, in modest black dress (hence the allusions to darkness, with the light referring to her beauty) Lord Byron encountered his cousin, known for her great beauty, and was taken aback. Nowhere in the poem does the poet mention or allude to love; he is merely commenting on the subject's beauty.

 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:   
 Thus mellow'd to that tender light          5 
   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;         10 
 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,   15 
   But tell of days in goodness spent,   
 A mind at peace with all below,   
   A heart whose love is innocent.