This poem is both a cry for the reform of the law which hanged homosexual men and also a homoerotic love poem describing the gay love affairs of Lord Byron. Upon publication in 1866 the poem was ascribed to Lord Byron – a claim that has been discredited, particularly as the poem includes events that occurred subsequent to Byron’s death. Despite this, the poem was republished in 1934 by the Fortune Press, with the same authorial attribution. This edition of 1000 copies was declared obscene and copies were seized and destroyed. Some survived, including this copy, collected by Alec Craig.