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Algernon Charles Swinburne (April 5, 1837 - April 10, 1909) was an English poet, playwright, novelist, and critic. Born in London, United Kingdom, he is famous for writing several novels and collections of poetry. Swinburne was one of the most accomplished lyric poets of the Victorian Era.
The explicit and often pathological sexual themes of his most important collection of poetry, Poems and Ballads (1866), delighted some, and shocked many. Swinburne became identified with the "indecent" themes and the precept of art for art's sake that characterized many of the poems in the volume. He subsequently wrote poetry of many different kinds, including the militantly republican Song of Italy (1867) and Songs before Sunrise (1871) in support of the risorgimento, the movement for Italian political unity, as well as nature poetry. Although individual volumes of Swinburne's poetry were occasionally well received, in general his popularity and critical reputation declined following the initial sensation of Poems and Ballads. (source: Poetry Foundation)
As we celebrate the birthday of Algernon Charles Swinburne during National Poetry Month, we are featuring his poem Love and Sleep.
Love and Sleep
By Algernon Charles Swinburne
Lying asleep between the strokes of night
I saw my love lean over my sad bed,
Pale as the duskiest lily’s leaf or head,
Smooth-skinned and dark, with bare throat made to bite,
Too wan for blushing and too warm for white,
But perfect-coloured without white or red.
And her lips opened amorously, and said –
I wist not what, saving one word – Delight.
And all her face was honey to my mouth,
And all her body pasture to mine eyes;
The long lithe arms and hotter hands than fire,
The quivering flanks, hair smelling of the south,
The bright light feet, the splendid supple thighs
And glittering eyelids of my soul’s desire.
Poem source: poetryfoundation.org
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