Hitting the headlines!

Posted by Jenny Batt on Thursday, September 23, 2010 with No comments
The project got a shout out on R4's Today programme this morning. Why? All because of this smutty poem by 'John Milton':

An EXTEMPORE upon a Faggot, by Milton

Have you not in a Chimney seen
A Faggot which is moist and green;
How coyly it receives the Heat,
And at both ends do’s weep and sweat?
So fares it with a tender Maid,
When first upon her Back she’s laid;
But like dry Wood th’ experienc’d Dame
Cracks and rejoices in the Flame.

Did Milton really write this 'filthy, innuendo-laden poem'? You can find various arts correspondents wrestling with the possibility of Milton's authorship in today's Guardian, Independent, Telegraph (twice) and Times. And you can read our original blog post about the poem here.