“Darkness” by Lord George Gordon Byron (July, 1816)

“All earth was but one thought—and that was death 

Immediate and inglorious; and the pang 

Of famine fed upon all entrails—men 

Died, and their bones were tombless as their flesh; 

The meagre by the meagre were devour'd”

Lord Byron (1788 to 1824) is often called the first “Rock Star” poet, renowned for his life Style, his flamboyant dress and his very public romances as much as for his poetry.  I was looking on YouTube for video productions of his work.  First I listened to a Reading of his most still read work, “She Walks in Beauty Like the Night”.  I like to listen to readings that include a scrolling text so I can read along, it also forces me to read more slowly.  I think one should listen to several video readings of a poem, if possible, so you encounter with the work is not too shaded by the interpretation given to the work by the reader.  After one of the readings of “She Walks in Beauty Like the Night” I was taken to a poem by Byron with which I was totally unfamiliar, “Darkness”.  Having a run time of about six minutes I decided to listen to it also.  I was completely shocked by the completely apocalyptic vision of a destroyed civilisation Byron presents.  In comparison, “The Wasteland” is a Disney Land video, “The Second Coming” full of optimism.  Death is everywhere in this vision of the end of the world.  A bit of post read research informed me that in much of 1816 the sky over Europe was darker by a terrible volcano eruption in Indonesia.  The darkness in Europe caused widespread panic as the cause was unknown at first.  Preachers screamed it was the end of the world.  Byron added to the panic with this poem.   That being said, I think one should forget that as you experience this amazing poem, look into your own darkness.  

If you are into video readings, I suggest you listen to at least four different readings, the poem brings out the drama in readers.