COLLECTED POEMS

First edition, first printing. Original green cloth lettered in gilt to a gilt-ruled brown label on the spine, in dustwrapper. A near fine copy, the binding square and firm, the contents clean throughout. Light diagonal creasing to the upper corner of the front endpaper and first blank page. A little pushed and rubbed to the lower spine tip. A handful of tiny marks to upper and lower edges of the page block. Complete with the dustwrapper (in its matte first state) with just a little of rubbing to spine tips and corners. The front flap has been clipped and repriced with the publisher's label (£10.95 net). An attractive copy.

This was the first appearance of the collection which remains the standard edition of the poet's work to this day. Faber have reissued the volume in various guises over the years, but this original green and white design remains the most striking and attractive. The volume collects the poems that Auden wished to preserve, in their final revised form.