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)