Selected Poems

Widely known as the author of such classic novels as The Return of the Native and Tess of the D'Urbervilles, Thomas Hardy (1840–1928) was also a great poet. His lyricism, subtlety, depth, and variety have earned him a significant place in the ranks of modern English poets. This modestly priced volume contains seventy of Hardy's finest poems, including "The Darkling Thrush," "Hap," "The Ruined Maid," "The Convergence of the Twain," "I Look Into My Glass," "Ah, Are You Digging on My Grave?" and many others. These remarkable poems offer ample evidence of Hardy's intense perception and his peculiar power to express deep emotion. They also reflect his distinctive style, which fuses a reliance on traditional stanza formats and rhyme with a unique diction and imaginative power.