Byron vs. Shakespeare

Q. Compare the poetry of Lord Byron with the poetry of another famous poet (e.g. Shakespeare's sonnets). How does Byron's poetry rate in comparison? Whose poetry do you prefer and why?

Personally, I like Lord Byron's style of writing much more than Shakespeare's, but his poetry differs greatly from that of Shakespeare, so perhaps it is unfair to compare them, nevertheless, I will attempt. Lord Byron is famous for writing long epics ,that form more of a novel than a poem, that easy to read. I feel that Lord Byron is not as inhibited in his writing, although his structure is consistent, because it is an epic and his message does not have to be portrayed in 14 lines ( like sonnets) he can be more flexible and even digress into autobiographical allusions. I thoroughly enjoyed reading canto the 1st of Childe Harolds Pilgrimage, and canto the 1st and 2nd of Don Juan ( what is considered to be his best work). I didn't feel stressed to find the hidden meaning behind each stanza (unlike Shakespeare who is known for his clever puns), the storyline was very clear, but that is not to say it is completely devoid of the elements of literature that make poetry special. Lord Byron's tone is usually light-hearted even though the subjects he deals with are not shallow or superficial. He tackles themes similar to those of Shakespeare, primarily, love. Lord Byron goes a step further and expands his themes to include a commentary on human nature, where important life lessons are learned, such as in Don Juan. He has a very different approach to Romantic Poetry and in his epics, he makes good natured fun his peers, the typical romantic poets of his time who got caught up in the sentimental aspect of love.
Lord Byron points out the flaws of love and man, as opposed to glorifying them. For me, it's simply a more enjoyable read with Byron, because of his delightful twisted humor. If I give Lord Byron a 5 out of 5, I think Shakespeare would have to receive a 3 1/2 out of 5.

Just another face in the crowd

She sits amongst others
Gregarious and cordial
Her smile and twinkling eyes
a mask on her well-crafted face
her laugh, loud and boisterous
yet infectious, fills the room

But listen closely, that sound is a croak
take a closer look
her eyes that seem to twinkle from afar
are in fact cold and bottomless
Grey and unsettled as a storm in a sea

The lines on her face
are few and far between- but deep
and she buries her sorrow in their trenches
filling them with memories of a time long forgotten

A foreigner to her emotions
she remains a perpetual spectator
bleeding from within from the secrets she harbors
her toxic burdens
numb her nerves

Yet her mask will never fall
nor will she ever be broken
because all her virtues won't outweigh
the fact that she lacks a genuine heart