When we two parted

When we two parted

                   -George Gorden,Lord Byron-

When we two parted

                In silence the tears,

Half broken-hearted

                To server for years,

Pale grew thy check and cold,

                Colder thy kiss;

Truly that hour foretold

                Sorrow to this.

The dew of the morning

                Sunk chill on my brow

It felt like the warning

                Of what I feel now.

Thy vows are all broken,

                And light is thy fame;

I hear thy name spoken,

                And share in its shame,

They name thee before me,

                A knell to mine ear;

A shudder comes o’er me

                Why went thou so dear?

They know not I knew thee too well

Long, long shall I rue thee?

                Too deeply to tell.

In secret we met

                In silence I grieve,

That thy heart could forget,

                Thy spirit deceives.

If I should meet thee

                After long years,

How should I greet thee?

                With silence and tears.

Stanza 1

                The poet recalls his separation from his beloved. They were silent and in tears. The thought that they would remain separate for many years nearly broke their hearts. Her cheeks became cold and pale. Even the parting kiss she gave him was passionless. The lovers sorrow has not subsided.

Stanza 2

                In this stanza the poet describes the way he felt at the time of parting. It was on a n early morning when his brows were touched with dew-drops. The chillness of the,  morning appeared to warn the poet that his relationship with his sweetheart was going to grow cold. The love has totally disappeared. The girl has proved false. She has broken her vows of everlasting loyalty and devotion. She has become light-hearted creature. She has developed into shameless flirt.

Stanza 3

                People call her names in his presence. They do not know his former connection with her. The poet says that he will feel sorry for a long time to have fallen in love with her.

Stanza 4

                The poet says that he met his beloved secretly many years ago. At present he is grieving silently because she has forgotten him and her spirit has deceived him. If at all he meets her again after a long period, how will he greet her? Probably he will be overwhelmed and break into tears silently.