Thomas Hardy's first love was always poetry. It was not until 1898, when he was 58 years old, having already established his reputation with 14 novels and over 40 short stories, that his first book of poetry, "Wessex Poems" was published. For the final 30 years of his life he abandoned fiction and devoted himself entirely to poetry. It is a tribute to his remarkable powers of creativity that he is now not only regarded as one of the most important English novelists but is also recognized as a poet of major stature and ever increasing popularity. "The Complete Poems", edited by James Gibson, includes all of Hardy's prolific output of more than 900 poems, complemented by a detailed notes section. Collected in this single volume are his eight books of verse, all the uncollected poems, "Domicilium", and the songs from "The Dynasts".
