She Walks in Beauty

"She Walks in Beauty" has such a regular meter and rhyme scheme that you almost find yourself swaying along with the rhythm as you read it. The sound of the poem is mesmerizing and melodic. Take the first two lines:

She walks in beauty, like the night
Of cloudless climes and starry skies;


Byron mostly chooses long vowel sounds that make you open up your mouth as you read it out loud. The alliteration in the second line sounds particularly soothing and musical. (After all, Byron did intend for the poem to be set to music.) The rocking, steady rhythm of the lines sounds as effortless as this woman's beauty.