Herman Melville: Selected Poems

A comprehensive collection of the poetry of a presiding genius of American literature

While best known for such novels as his monumental Moby-Dick, Herman Melville was also an extraordinarily gifted poet. This is the most complete anthology of Melville's poetry ever published in a single volume. It features a large selection from Battle-Pieces and Aspects of the War, along with Melville's own notes and prose supplement; cantos from all four books of Clarel- A Poem and Pilgrimage in the Holy Land; selections from Melville's later books, Timoleon, John Marr and Other Sailors, and Weeds and Wildings, Chiefly, with a Rose or Two; as well as a number of his powerful and lesserknown uncollected poems. This volume will usher in a new appreciation for Melville's poetic gifts.

Herman Melville was born on 1st August 1819. He went on his first sea voyage in 1839 as cabin boy on the St Lawrence bound for Liverpool. He later became a teacher before taking to the seas again on the Achushnet. On this voyage he abandoned ship and lived among the natives of the Marquesas Islands for some time. This sojourn inspired his books Typee and Omoo which were published to great success. He became close friends with the writer Nathaniel Hawthorne, to whom he dedicated Moby-Dick. Moby-Dick and his later works and poetry were not particularly successful in his lifetime. Moby-Dick did not sell out its first print run of 3,000 copies. It was not until the 1920s that his work was properly appreciated. Moby-Dick is now considered one of the most important American novels of all time. Melville died on 28th September 1891.

A comprehensive collection of the poetry of a presiding genius of American literature While best known for such novels as his monumental "Moby-Dick," Herman Melville was also an extraordinarily gifted poet. This is the most complete anthology of Melvilles poetry ever published in a single volume. It features a large selection from "Battle-Pieces" and "Aspects of the War," along with Melvilles own notes and prose supplement; cantos from all four books of "Clarel: A Poem and Pilgrimage in the Holy Land"; selections from Melvilles later books, "Timoleon, John Marr and Other Sailors," and "Weeds and Wildings, Chiefly, with a Rose or Two"; as well as a number of his powerful and lesserknown uncollected poems. This volume will usher in a new appreciation for Melvilles poetic gifts.

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