The Collected Poems of Thomas Hardy

The Collected Poems of Thomas Hardy is a comprehensive anthology from the Wordsworth Poetry Library that gathers nearly 1,000 poems spanning Hardy’s prolific career, from the late 19th century through the early 20th, including works like The Darkling Thrush and During Wind and Rain. Published as an affordable edition of the Victorian novelist-turned-poet’s verse, it captures his pessimistic worldview, marked by themes of time’s relentless passage, human futility, loss, and the indifferent forces of nature, often set against the rural landscapes of his fictional Wessex. Hardy’s stark, unrhymed rhythms and elegiac tone reflect personal griefs—such as his wife’s death—and broader existential despair, making this collection a cornerstone of modern English poetry that elevates his reputation beyond his novels.