Algernon Charles Swinburne
Algernon Charles Swinburne
Algernon Charles Swinburnewas an English poet, playwright, novelist, and critic. He wrote several novels and collections of poetry such as Poems and Ballads, and contributed to the famous Eleventh Edition of the Encyclopædia Britannica. A controversial figure at the time, Swinburne was a sado-masochist and alcoholic and was obsessed with the Middle Ages and lesbianism...
NationalityEnglish
ProfessionPoet
Date of Birth5 April 1837
kings men precedent
Is not Precedent indeed a King of men? A Word from the Psalmist.
memories eye past
On the mountains of memory by the world's wellsprings, in all man's eyes, where the light of life of him is on all past things, death only dies.
despair twins devotion
Despair the twin-born of devotion.
time wife our-love
Time turns the old days to derision, Our loves into corpses or wives.
wings goal heaven
A little soul scarce fledged for earth Takes wing with heaven again for goal, Even while we hailed as fresh from birth A little soul.
life eye rose
Love laid his sleepless head On a thorny rose bed: And his eyes with tears were red, And pale his lips as the dead.
life sweet love-you
I that have love and no more Give you but love of you, sweet; He that hath more, let him give; He that hath wings, let him soar; Mine is the heart at your feet Here, that must love you to live.
fate sea rocks
Fate is a sea without a shore, and the soul is a rock that abides.
spring rain winter
For winter's rains and ruins are over... And in Green under wood and cover Blossum by blossom the spring begins.
wind water sun
For whom all winds are quiet as the sun,/ All waters as the shore.
lying laughing rose
Love lies bleeding in the bed whereover Roses lean with smiling mouths or pleading: Earth lies laughing where the sun's dart clove her: Love lies bleeding.
blow garden white
White rose in red rose-garden Is not so white; Snowdrops, that plead for pardon And pine for fright Because the hard East blows Over their maiden vows, Grow not as this face grows from pale to bright.
running heart light
No blast of air or fire of sun Puts out the light whereby we run With girdled loins our lamplit race, And each from each takes heart of grace And spirit till his turn be done.
gratitude sweet sleep
Sleep; and if life was bitter to thee, pardon, If sweet, give thanks; thou hast no more to live; And to give thanks is good, and to forgive.