Skip directly to:Main content Main navigation

University of Virginia Library

The Poems of Algernon Charles Swinburne

In Six Volumes

Swinburne, Algernon Charles (1837-1909)

collapse section

I.

VOLUME I POEMS AND BALLADS

A BALLAD OF LIFE

A BALLAD OF DEATH

THE TRIUMPH OF TIME

HYMN TO PROSERPINE

SATIA TE SANGUINE

collapse section

I.

II.

III.

SONG BEFORE DEATH

A BALLAD OF BURDENS

BEFORE THE MIRROR

IN MEMORY OF WALTER SAVAGE LANDOR

A SONG IN TIME OF ORDER. 1852.

A SONG IN TIME OF REVOLUTION. 1860.

THE GARDEN OF PROSERPINE

HENDECASYLLABICS

A CHRISTMAS CAROL

THE MASQUE OF QUEEN BERSABE

THE KING'S DAUGHTER

THE SEA-SWALLOWS

THE YEAR OF LOVE

collapse section

II.

VOLUME II. SONGS BEFORE SUNRISE AND SONGS OF TWO NATIONS

DEDICATION TO JOSEPH MAZZINI

collapse section

SONGS BEFORE SUNRISE

THE EVE OF REVOLUTION

A WATCH IN THE NIGHT

SUPER FLUMINA BABYLONIS

THE HALT BEFORE ROME

MENTANA: FIRST ANNIVERSARY

BLESSED AMONG WOMEN

THE LITANY OF NATIONS

BEFORE A CRUCIFIX

QUIA MULTUM AMAVIT

TO WALT WHITMAN IN AMERICA

CHRISTMAS ANTIPHONES

A NEW YEAR'S MESSAGE

MATER TRIUMPHALIS

A MARCHING SONG

THE SONG OF THE STANDARD

ODE ON THE INSURRECTION IN CANDIA

“NON DOLET”

PERINDE AC CADAVER

A YEAR'S BURDEN

collapse section

SONGS OF TWO NATIONS

[I saw the double-featured statue stand]

A SONG OF ITALY

ODE ON THE PROCLAMATION OF THE FRENCH REPUBLIC

collapse section

I.

II.

II A YEAR AFTER

III.

III PETER'S PENCE FROM PERUGIA

IV.

IV PAPAL ALLOCUTION

V.

THE BURDEN OF AUSTRIA

VI.

VII.

VIII.

IX.

X.

XI.

XI THE MODERATES

XII.

XII INTERCESSION

XIII.

XIII THE SAVIOUR OF SOCIETY

XIV.

XIV MENTANA: SECOND ANNIVERSARY

XV.

XV MENTANA: THIRD ANNIVERSARY

XVI.

XVI THE DESCENT INTO HELL

XVII.

collapse section

III.

VOLUME III POEMS AND BALLADS AND SONGS OF THE SPRINGTIDES

collapse section

POEMS AND BALLADS

THE LAST ORACLE

A FORSAKEN GARDEN

AT A MONTH'S END

THE YEAR OF THE ROSE

THE COMPLAINT OF LISA

FOR THE FEAST OF GIORDANO BRUNO,

MEMORIAL VERSES ON THE DEATH OF THÉOPHILE GAUTIER

SONNET (WITH A COPY OF Mademoiselle de Maupin)

IN MEMORY OF BARRY CORNWALL

A BALLAD OF DREAMLAND

A BALLAD OF FRANÇOIS VILLON

A VISION OF SPRING IN WINTER

A SONG IN SEASON

VICTOR HUGO IN 1877

collapse section

FOUR SONGS OF FOUR SEASONS

I.

I WINTER IN NORTHUMBERLAND

II.

II SPRING IN TUSCANY

III.

III SUMMER IN AUVERGNE

IV.

IV AUTUMN IN CORNWALL

TO LOUIS KOSSUTH

collapse section

TRANSLATIONS FROM THE FRENCH OF VILLON

THE COMPLAINT OF THE FAIR ARMOURESS

A DOUBLE BALLAD OF GOOD COUNSEL

FRAGMENT ON DEATH

BALLAD OF THE LORDS OF OLD TIME

BALLAD OF THE WOMEN OF PARIS

BALLAD WRITTEN FOR A BRIDEGROOM

BALLAD AGAINST THE ENEMIES OF FRANCE

THE DISPUTE OF THE HEART AND BODY OF FRANÇOIS VILLON

EPISTLE IN FORM OF A BALLAD TO HIS FRIENDS

THE EPITAPH IN FORM OF A BALLAD

FROM VICTOR HUGO

collapse section

POEMS AND BALLADS

collapse section

I.

II.

III.

IV.

V.

VI.

VII.

PAN AND THALASSIUS

A BALLAD OF BATH

A WORD WITH THE WIND

IN TIME OF MOURNING

THE INTERPRETERS

A BABY'S EPITAPH

ON THE DEATH OF SIR HENRY TAYLOR

IN MEMORY OF JOHN WILLIAM INCHBOLD

TO SIR RICHARD F. BURTON

CALIBAN ON ARIEL

THE WEARY WEDDING

A LYKE-WAKE SONG

A REIVER'S NECK-VERSE

THE WITCH-MOTHER

THE BRIDE'S TRAGEDY

A JACOBITE'S FAREWELL

A JACOBITE'S EXILE

THE TYNESIDE WIDOW

collapse section

SONGS OF THE SPRINGTIDES

DEDICATION TO EDWARD JOHN TRELAWNY

THE GARDEN OF CYMODOCE

[Between two seas the sea-bird's wing makes halt]

collapse section

IV.

VOLUME IV TRISTRAM OF LYONESSE. THE TALE OF BALEN. ATALANTA IN CALYDON. ERECHTHEUS

collapse section

TRISTRAM OF LYONESSE

TRISTRAM AND ISEULT

I.

I THE SAILING OF THE SWALLOW

II.

II THE QUEEN'S PLEASANCE

III.

III TRISTRAM IN BRITTANY

IV.

IV THE MAIDEN MARRIAGE

V.

V ISEULT AT TINTAGEL

VI.

VII.

VII THE WIFE'S VIGIL

VIII.

VIII THE LAST PILGRIMAGE

IX.

IX THE SAILING OF THE SWAN

THE TALE OF BALEN

ATALANTA IN CALYDON

collapse section

V.

VOLUME V STUDIES IN SONG. A CENTURY OF ROUNDELS. SONNETS ON ENGLISH DRAMATIC POETS. THE HEPTALOGIA ETC.

collapse section

STUDIES IN SONG

SONG FOR THE CENTENARY OF WALTER SAVAGE LANDOR

GRAND CHORUS OF BIRDS FROM ARISTOPHANES

AFTER NINE YEARS

FOR A PORTRAIT OF FELICE ORSINI

EVENING ON THE BROADS

THE EMPEROR'S PROGRESS

THE RESURRECTION OF ALCILIA

THE FOURTEENTH OF JULY

THE LAUNCH OF THE LIVADIA

collapse section

BY THE NORTH SEA

TO WALTER THEODORE WATTS

I.

II.

III.

IV.

V.

VI.

VII.

collapse section

A CENTURY OF ROUNDELS

DEDICATION TO CHRISTINA G. ROSSETTI

THE WAY OF THE WIND

“HAD I WIST”

AUTUMN AND WINTER

THE DEATH OF RICHARD WAGNER

collapse section

I.

II.

II TRISTAN UND ISOLDE

THE LUTE AND THE LYRE

DEATH AND BIRTH

BIRTH AND DEATH

ÉTUDE RÉALISTE

FIRST FOOTSTEPS

A NINTH BIRTHDAY

A SINGING LESSON

collapse section

I.

I LOVE LIES BLEEDING

II.

II LOVE IN A MIST

collapse section

I.

II.

III.

ON AN OLD ROUNDEL Translated by D. G. Rossetti from the French of Villon.

A LANDSCAPE BY COURBET

A FLOWER-PIECE BY FANTIN

A NIGHT-PIECE BY MILLET

“MARZO PAZZO”

απεροτος ερος

“INSULARUM OCELLE”

THE STATUE OF VICTOR HUGO

collapse section

A STUDY FROM MEMORY

TO DR. JOHN BROWN

TO WILLIAM BELL SCOTT

A DEATH ON EASTER DAY

ON THE DEATHS OF THOMAS CARLYLE AND GEORGE ELIOT

AFTER LOOKING INTO CARLYLE'S REMINISCENCES

ON LAMB'S SPECIMENS OF DRAMATIC POETS

ON THE RUSSIAN PERSECUTION OF THE JEWS

BISMARCK AT CANOSSA

QUIA NOMINOR LEO

THE CHANNEL TUNNEL

SIR WILLIAM GOMM

LINES ON THE DEATH OF EDWARD JOHN TRELAWNY

ADIEUX À MARIE STUART

THE SALT OF THE EARTH

SEVEN YEARS OLD

EIGHT YEARS OLD

A CHILD'S LAUGHTER

A CHILD'S THANKS

A CHILD'S BATTLES

A CHILD'S FUTURE

collapse section

SONNETS ON ENGLISH DRAMATIC POETS

I.

I CHRISTOPHER MARLOWE

II.

II WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE

III.

IV.

IV BEAUMONT AND FLETCHER

V.

V PHILIP MASSINGER

VI.

VII.

VII JOHN WEBSTER

VIII.

VIII THOMAS DECKER

IX.

IX THOMAS MIDDLETON

X.

X THOMAS HEYWOOD

XI.

XI GEORGE CHAPMAN

XII.

XII JOHN MARSTON

XIII.

XIV.

XIV JAMES SHIRLEY

XV.

XV THE TRIBE OF BENJAMIN

XVI.

XVI ANONYMOUS PLAYS:

XVII.

XVII ANONYMOUS PLAYS

XVIII.

XVIII ANONYMOUS PLAYS

XIX.

XX.

XXI.

collapse section

THE HIGHER PANTHEISM IN A NUTSHELL

JOHN JONES'S WIFE

THE POET AND THE WOODLOUSE

collapse section

THE PERSON OF THE HOUSE

LAST WORDS OF A SEVENTH-RATE POET

SONNET FOR A PICTURE

collapse section

VI.

VOLUME VI A MIDSUMMER HOLIDAY. ASTROPHEL. A CHANNEL PASSAGE. AND OTHER POEMS

collapse section

A MIDSUMMER HOLIDAY

I.

II.

III.

III ON A COUNTRY ROAD

IV.

IV THE MILL GARDEN

V.

VI.

VI THE CLIFFSIDE PATH

VII.

VII IN THE WATER

VIII.

VIII THE SUNBOWS

IX.

IX ON THE VERGE

LINES ON THE MONUMENT OF GIUSEPPE MAZZINI.

A BALLAD OF SARK.

AFTER A READING

MAYTIME IN MIDWINTER

A DOUBLE BALLAD OF AUGUST

HEARTSEASE COUNTRY

A BALLAD OF APPEAL

collapse section

I.

II.

III.

IV.

V.

VI.

VII.

collapse section

I.

II.

III.

VOS DEOS LAUDAMUS:

ON THE BICENTENARY OF CORNEILLE

ON THE DEATH OF RICHARD DOYLE

IN MEMORY OF HENRY A. BRIGHT

VICTOR HUGO: L'ARCHIPEL DE LA MANCHE

THE TWILIGHT OF THE LORDS

A WORD FOR THE COUNTRY

A WORD FOR THE NATION

A WORD FROM THE PSALMIST

A BALLAD AT PARTING

collapse section

ON THE SOUTH COAST

AN AUTUMN VISION

A SWIMMER'S DREAM

THE PALACE OF PAN

A YEAR'S CAROLS

INSCRIPTIONS FOR THE FOUR SIDES OF A PEDESTAL

ON THE DEATH OF RICHARD BURTON

ELEGY: 1869–1891

collapse section

A SEQUENCE OF SONNETS ON THE DEATH OF ROBERT BROWNING

I.

II.

III.

IV.

V.

VI.

VII.

SUNSET AND MOONRISE

THE BALLAD OF MELICERTES

collapse section

I.

I TRANSFIGURATION

II.

III.

III THANKSGIVING

IV.

IV LIBITINA VERTICORDIA

V.

V THE ORDER OF RELEASE

VI.

ϝι πσψξηαγογος

VII.

VII THE LAST WORD

IN MEMORY OF AURELIO SAFFI

THE FESTIVAL OF BEATRICE

THE MONUMENT OF GIORDANO BRUNO

MEMORIAL VERSES ON THE DEATH OF WILLIAM BELL SCOTT

THE BALLAD OF DEAD MEN'S BAY

collapse section

A CHANNEL PASSAGE

A CHANNEL PASSAGE

THE LAKE OF GAUBE

THE PROMISE OF THE HAWTHORN

collapse section

I.

II.

III.

THE PASSING OF THE HAWTHORN

TO A BABY KINSWOMAN

collapse section

THE ALTAR OF RIGHTEOUSNESS

I.

II.

III.

IV.

V.

VI.

VII.

A NEW YEAR'S EVE

BARKING HALL: A YEAR AFTER

THE CENTENARY OF THE BATTLE OF THE NILE

CROMWELL'S STATUE

A WORD FOR THE NAVY

STRATFORD-ON-AVON

collapse section

I.

II.

III.

IV.

FOR GREECE AND CRETE

DELPHIC HYMN TO APOLLO

AN EVENING AT VICHY

TO GEORGE FREDERICK WATTS

ON THE DEATH OF MRS. LYNN LINTON

IN MEMORY OF AURELIO SAFFI

AFTER THE VERDICT

THE TURNING OF THE TIDE

ON THE DEATH OF COLONEL BENSON

ASTRÆA VICTRIX

THE FIRST OF JUNE

ROUNDEL From the French of Villon

A ROUNDEL OF RABELAIS

THE CENTENARY OF ALEXANDRE DUMAS

AT A DOG'S GRAVE

THREE WEEKS OLD

A CLASP OF HANDS

collapse section

PROLOGUE TO DOCTOR FAUSTUS

PROLOGUE TO ARDEN OF FEVERSHAM

PROLOGUE TO OLD FORTUNATUS

PROLOGUE TO THE DUCHESS OF MALFY

PROLOGUE TO THE REVENGER'S TRAGEDY

PROLOGUE TO THE BROKEN HEART

PROLOGUE TO A VERY WOMAN

PROLOGUE TO THE SPANISH GIPSY

PROLOGUE TO THE TWO NOBLE KINSMEN

THE AFTERGLOW OF SHAKESPEARE

collapse section

Collapse All | Expand All expand section

421

SONNET FOR A PICTURE

That nose is out of drawing. With a gasp,
She pants upon the passionate lips that ache
With the red drain of her own mouth, and make
A monochord of colour. Like an asp,
One lithe lock wriggles in his rutilant grasp.
Her bosom is an oven of myrrh, to bake
Love's white warm shewbread to a browner cake.
The lock his fingers clench has burst its hasp.
The legs are absolutely abominable.
Ah! what keen overgust of wild-eyed woes
Flags in that bosom, flushes in that nose?
Nay! Death sets riddles for desire to spell,
Responsive. What red hem earth's passion sews,
But may be ravenously unripped in hell?