World premiere edition of J.R.R. Tolkien's poetry collection, spanning nearly seven decades of the author's life and presented in an elegant three-volume hardcover box.

J.R.R. Tolkien initially aspired to be a poet, and poetry was as much a part of his creative life as prose, languages, and art. Although Tolkien's readers know he wrote poetry, even if only from verses in The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, its extent and quality are not widely known. Through his major fantasy works, the poems contribute to the definitive presentation of characters and locations, as well as further developing the story. As standalone works, they delight with words and rhyme, express his love for nature and the seasons, the landscape and music, as well as for words. They convey his humor and sense of wonder.

The earliest work in this collection, written for his beloved, dates back to 1910, when Tolkien was 18 years old. More poems followed during his years at Oxford, some of which are very technical and eccentric. Those he composed during the First World War, during his service in France, usually concern life, loss, faith, friendship, his longing for England, and his wife whom he left behind.

Starting in 1914, elements of his literary work ‘The Silmarillion’ began to appear, and the ‘Matter of Middle-earth’ would inspire many of Tolkien's verses for the rest of his life. The collection "The Collected Poems of J.R.R. Tolkien" features nearly 250 works presented in three volumes, including more than 70 that have never been seen before. The poems are connected with commentary and notes by the world-renowned Tolkien scholars, Christina Scull & Wayne G. Hammond, placing them in the context of his life and literary achievements and creating a poetic biography that is a unique and revealing celebration of J.R.R. Tolkien.

Pages: 1620, Dimensions: 14.9x14.9cm