Fugitive Pieces

A youthful poet’s first foray into publication appears in this modest, privately printed volume from the autumn of 1806. At just eighteen, the author gathered and reshaped a collection of thirty‑eight verses, expanding the work as new pieces emerged and even reclaiming poems thought lost. The resulting book offers a snapshot of early Romantic ambition, marked by the raw intensity and lyrical experimentation that would later define his career.

Soon after its appearance, the collection sparked controversy when a clergyman objected to the sensual tone of one poem, prompting the poet to order most copies destroyed. Only a handful of copies survived, each bearing marginal corrections and revealing the author’s meticulous revisions. While many of the verses resurfaced in later, more polished anthologies, several remain exclusive to this elusive edition, making it a fascinating glimpse into the poet’s formative voice and the turbulent birth of his literary reputation.