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Poems and Ballads (First Series)

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) (8 hr 43 min)

Chapters

DEDICATORY EPISTLE

45:36

A Ballad of Life

5:33

A Ballad of Death

7:43

Laus Veneris

33:51

Phædra

14:15

The Triumph of Time

27:01

Les Noyades

5:41

A Leave-Taking

3:21

Itylus

3:51

Anactoria

22:58

Hymn to Proserpine

12:50

Ilicet

8:59

Hermaphroditus

4:28

Fragoletta

3:47

Rondel

1:39

Satia te Sanguine

4:12

A Litany

6:39

A Lamentation

6:36

Anima Anceps

1:57

In the Orchard

4:01

A Match

2:19

Faustine

7:44

A Cameo

1:11

Song before Death

1:20

Rococo

4:07

Stage Love

1:33

The Leper

8:30

A Ballad of Burdens

5:37

Rondel

1:05

Before the Mirror

3:43

Erotion

3:44

In Memory of Walter Savage Landor

2:33

A Song in Time of Order. 1852

3:24

A Song in Time of Revolution. 1860

4:53

To Victor Hugo

11:04

Before Dawn

4:09

Dolores

25:11

The Garden of Proserpine

5:09

Hesperia

10:07

Love at Sea

2:00

April

3:12

Before Parting

2:36

The Sundew

2:55

Félise

17:06

An Interlude

3:16

Hendecasyllabics

3:02

Sapphics

5:30

At Eleusis

15:19

August

3:54

A Christmas Carol

3:51

The Masque of Queen Bersabe

25:19

St. Dorothy

31:58

The Two Dreams

30:30

Aholibah

8:18

Love and Sleep

1:20

Madonna Mia

3:37

The King's Daughter

3:09

After Death

2:53

May Janet

2:05

The Bloody Son

5:30

The Sea-Swallows

4:04

The Year of Love

2:44

Dedication, 1865

6:32