Swinburne's first collection of poetry, published in 1866, circles around the themes of love, religion (or irreligion) and death. The poems are written in sonorous, formally inventive, and occasionally abstruse verse with many dramatic elements. The risqué subject matter and lurid imagery found in some of the poems aroused considerable controversy at the time, prompting one critic to denounce the author as an "unclean fiery imp from the pit". (Summary by Kazbek)
Chapters
1
DEDICATORY EPISTLE Read by Kazbek 45:36
2
A Ballad of Death Read by Kazbek 7:43
3
Laus Veneris Read by Kazbek 33:51
4
Phædra Read by Kazbek 14:15
5
The Triumph of Time Read by Kazbek 27:01
6
Les Noyades Read by Kazbek 5:41
7
A Leave-Taking Read by Kazbek 3:21
8
Itylus Read by Kazbek 3:51
9
Anactoria Read by Kazbek 22:58
10
Hymn to Proserpine Read by Kazbek 12:50
11
Ilicet Read by Kazbek 8:59
12
Hermaphroditus Read by Kazbek 4:28
13
Fragoletta Read by Kazbek 3:47
14
Rondel Read by Kazbek 1:39
15
Satia te Sanguine Read by Kazbek 4:12
16
A Litany Read by Kazbek 6:39
17
A Lamentation Read by Kazbek 6:36
18
Anima Anceps Read by Kazbek 1:57
19
In the Orchard Read by Kazbek 4:01
20
A Match Read by Kazbek 2:19
21
Faustine Read by Kazbek 7:44
22
A Cameo Read by Kazbek 1:11
23
Song before Death Read by Kazbek 1:20
24
Rococo Read by Kazbek 4:07
25
Stage Love Read by Kazbek 1:33
26
The Leper Read by Kazbek 8:30
27
A Ballad of Burdens Read by Kazbek 5:37
28
Rondel Read by Kazbek 1:05
29
Before the Mirror Read by Kazbek 3:43
30
Erotion Read by Kazbek 3:44
31
In Memory of Walter Savage Landor Read by Kazbek 2:33
32
A Song in Time of Order. 1852 Read by Kazbek 3:24
33
A Song in Time of Revolution. 1860 Read by Kazbek 4:53
34
To Victor Hugo Read by Kazbek 11:04
35
Before Dawn Read by Kazbek 4:09
36
Dolores Read by Kazbek 25:11
37
The Garden of Proserpine Read by Kazbek 5:09
38
Hesperia Read by Kazbek 10:07
39
Love at Sea Read by Kazbek 2:00
40
April Read by Kazbek 3:12
41
Before Parting Read by Kazbek 2:36
42
The Sundew Read by Kazbek 2:55
43
Félise Read by Kazbek 17:06
44
An Interlude Read by Kazbek 3:16
45
Hendecasyllabics Read by Kazbek 3:02
46
Sapphics Read by Kazbek 5:30
47
At Eleusis Read by Kazbek 15:19
48
August Read by Kazbek 3:54
49
A Christmas Carol Read by Kazbek 3:51
50
The Masque of Queen Bersabe Read by Kazbek 25:19
51
St. Dorothy Read by Kazbek 31:58
52
The Two Dreams Read by Kazbek 30:30
53
Aholibah Read by Kazbek 8:18
54
Love and Sleep Read by Kazbek 1:20
55
Madonna Mia Read by Kazbek 3:37
56
The King's Daughter Read by Kazbek 3:09
57
After Death Read by Kazbek 2:53
58
May Janet Read by Kazbek 2:05
59
The Bloody Son Read by Kazbek 5:30
60
The Sea-Swallows Read by Kazbek 4:04
61
The Year of Love Read by Kazbek 2:44
62
Dedication, 1865 Read by Kazbek 6:32
From LibriVox, read by volunteers and in the public domain. LibriVox page (opens librivox.org) , the text (opens gutenberg.org) , all files on the Internet Archive (opens archive.org) .
