A Channel Passage and Other Poems Taken from The Collected Poetical Works of Algernon Charles Swinburne—Vol VI

A vivid, storm‑swept voyage opens the collection, where the poet paints a night at sea with dazzling, musical language. The ship’s battle with thunder and lightning becomes a tableau of elemental passion, each line crackling with the heat of tempestuous desire. The rhythm swells and recedes like the tide, drawing listeners into a world where sky and sea merge in a single, luminous breath.

Beyond this dramatic entry, the volume moves through a garden of shorter pieces that range from tender celebrations of hawthorn blossoms to fierce odes for historic battles and national heroes. Classical references sit beside intimate reflections on love, memory, and the passing of seasons, all rendered in the poet’s characteristic lyric intensity. Whether a concise roundel or a sprawling hymn, each poem offers a richly textured soundscape that rewards attentive listening without demanding prior knowledge of the poet’s life.