And Wilt Thou Weep When I Am Low?
And wilt thou weep when I am low? Sweet lady! speak those words again: Yet if they grieve thee, say not so– I would not give that bosom pain. My heart is sad, my hopes are gone, My blood runs coldly through my breast; And when I perish, thou alone Wilt sigh above my place of rest. And yet, methinks, a gleam of peace Doth through my cloud of anguish shine: And for a while my sorrows cease, To know thy heart hath felt for mine. Oh lady! blessd be that tear– It falls for one who cannot weep; Such precious drops are doubly dear To those whose eyes no tear may steep. Sweet lady! once my heart was warm With every feeling soft as thine; But Beauty’s self hath ceased to charm A wretch created to repine. Yet wilt thou weep when I am low? Sweet lady! speak those words again: Yet if they grieve thee, say not so– I would not give that bosom pain.
And Wilt Thou Weep When I Am Low? - meaning Summary
Unreturned Love and Consolation
Byron's lyric speaker addresses a beloved who weeps for him, confessing deep sadness, fading hopes, and emotional numbness. He values her tears as rare consolation for a man who cannot weep, yet fears causing her pain by dwelling on his distress. The poem balances gratitude and self-reproach, portraying unreturned or solitary suffering softened by the knowledge that someone cares enough to grieve for him.
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