The Novels Of A. C. Swinburne: Love’s Cross Currents: Lesbia Brandon by Algernon Charles Swinburne

**Plot / Overall Description**

*Love’s Cross‑Currents* (often titled **“Lesbia Brandon”**) is a lyrical poem in which the speaker addresses a beloved woman, expressing an intense, almost obsessive love that transcends conventional Victorian morality. The poem unfolds as a series of passionate declarations and vivid sensual images:

1. **Opening Invocation** – The speaker summons the beloved, calling her “Lesbia,” and declares that his heart is forever bound to her.
2. **Contrasting Currents** – He likens their love to intersecting rivers, suggesting that their emotions flow together despite societal constraints and personal doubts.
3. **Sensory Imagery** – The poem is rich with visual and tactile details—soft skin, fragrant breath, the glow of moonlight—creating an intimate atmosphere.
4. **Yearning & Conflict** – The speaker confesses both the joy of their union and the pain of secrecy, hinting at the tension between public decorum and private desire.
5. **Resolution of Devotion** – The closing lines reaffirm an unwavering commitment, promising that the speaker’s love will endure beyond any external opposition.

Although brief and non‑narrative, the poem’s “plot” is essentially the emotional journey of a lover proclaiming and defending a same‑sex affection against the backdrop of Victorian restraint.