About A witty, bawdy, erotic but classic collection of poetry designed to celebrate the most sensual of human pleasures. Over the ages many poets have put pen to paper in celebration of that most raw and yet most beautiful of human instincts – erotic love. This anthology includes verse by Herrick, Marlowe, Jonson, Byron, Verlaine, Whitman, Yeats, Cummings and, from our own time, John Betjeman. All aspects of erotic love are to be found in these poems – from the bawdy to the sensuous and tender.
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Green rushes with red shoots Green rushes with red shoots
If the forest of her hair If the forest of her hair
Either she was foul Either she was foul
Don Juan (from Canto II) Don Juan (from Canto II)
Ancient person of my heart Ancient person of my heart
The Eve of St. Agnes The Eve of St. Agnes (excerpt)
She lay all naked She lay all naked
Before lowering the perfumed curtain Before lowering the perfumed curtain
New Year's Eve New Year's Eve
The Flea The Flea
I abhor the slimie kisse I abhor the slimie kisse
The Geranium The Geranium
The Willing Mistress The Willing Mistress
Ode 44 Ode 44
My lute awake My lute awake
On Cynthia's Embraces On Cynthia's Embraces
Naked she lay Naked she lay
When his mouth faced my mouth When his mouth faced my mouth
Madrigal (17th century) Madrigal (17th century)
The Vine The Vine
The Choice of Valentines The Choice of Valentines
Down, Wanton, Down! Down, Wanton, Down!
The Four and Twentieth Day of May The Four and Twentieth Day of May
Upon the Nipples of Julia's Breast Upon the Nipples of Julia's Breast
Style of the new moon Style of the new moon
The Milkmaid's Epithalamium The Milkmaid's Epithalamium
To the Fair Clorinda To the Fair Clorinda
Twin Hills Twin Hills
Imagine the magic Imagine the magic
Ode 173 Ode 173
Three Poems Three Poems
A Subaltern's Love Song A Subaltern's Love Song
To His Mistress Going to Bed To His Mistress Going to Bed
The Glow Worm The Glow Worm
May I feel said he May I feel said he
A sweet disorder in the dress A sweet disorder in the dress
Tell me no more Tell me no more
For my wife For my wife
Now sleeps the crimson petal Now sleeps the crimson petal
On the Marriage of TK and CC On the Marriage of TK and CC
Figs Figs
In the Orchard In the Orchard
To Julia's Petticoat To Julia's Petticoat
Now Now
From pent-up aching rivers From pent-up aching rivers
The Posture The Posture
Mariana Mariana
Before Parting Before Parting
A beautiful woman A beautiful woman
The Sick Rose The Sick Rose
A Last Confession A Last Confession
Doing, a filthy pleasure is Doing, a filthy pleasure is
The Connoisseuse of Slugs The Connoisseuse of Slugs
They flee from me They flee from me
Late-Flowering Lust Late-Flowering Lust
Nizam Nizam
A Glimpse A Glimpse
Thousands and Three Thousands and Three
The Beautiful Swimmer The Beautiful Swimmer
My mouth is often joined against his mouth My mouth is often joined against his mouth
Foiled Sleep Foiled Sleep
Laura and Lizzie Asleep Laura and Lizzie Asleep
Christabel and Geraldine Christabel and Geraldine
Wild Nights, Wild Nights Wild Nights, Wild Nights
Penumbra from Chansons de Bilitis Penumbra from Chansons de Bilitis
Hero and Leander Hero and Leander (excerpt)
On the Happy Corydon and Phyllis On the Happy Corydon and Phyllis
Salmacis and Hermaphroditus Salmacis and Hermaphroditus (excerpt)
Leda and the Swan Leda and the Swan