The Poet Swift

This collection of Jonathan Swift’s poetry is separated in three parts, according to their subject matter. The first section are poems addressed to a woman named Stella. Based off a real-life close friend of Swift’s, Esther Johnson, the portion of poetry addressed to Stella contain beautiful tributes to this woman, with simple titles such as Stella’s Birthday March 13, 1727. Though these poems display a tender amount of intimacy shared between the two, Esther Johnson and Jonathan’s relationship is shrouded in mystery, leaving readers and historians to debate if they were just friends or something more romantic. The next section of The Poems of Jonathan Swift are dedicated to a woman called Vanessa, who was based off of one of Swift’s lovers, Esther Vanhomrigh. Their correspondence and his poems about her suggested a more romantic relationship than the one he shared with Stella. With elegant word choice and masterful form, both women and their relationships with Swift are well documented in this book of poems. The final part of The Poems of Jonathan Swift is dedicated to the love of Swift’s career—the satirization of politics. All of Swift’s poems are written in iambic tetrameter and end rhyme, creating a fun and quick reading experience. This is a large collection of poetry covers a wide variety of topics with the humor and satire that Jonathan Swift was famous for. With these attributes, readers are welcome to enjoy Jonathan Swift’s mysterious and passionate relationships as well as his humorous and intelligent criticism of politics. Now presented in an easy-to-read font and with an eye-catching cover design, this edition of The Poems of Jonathan Swift is perfect for a contemporary audience. With the decadent style of classic poetry combined with topics that are both entertaining and relatable, along with this edition’s new features, this classic collection is restored for modern readers.

A sweeping achievement from a poet whose "rhythms are as alive to the roll and tang of syllables on the tongue as they are to the circulation of blood and sap" (Rosanna Warren, Theodore Roethke Memorial Poetry Prize citation). David Baker, acclaimed for his combination of “visionary scope” (Gettysburg Review) and “emotional intensity” (Georgia Review), is one of contemporary poetry’s most gifted lyric poets. In Swift, he gathers poems from eight collections, including his masterful latest, Scavenger Loop (2015); the prize-winning, intimate travelogues of Never-Ending Birds (2009); and the complications of history and home in Changeable Thunder (2001). Opening the volume are fifteen new poems that continue Baker’s growth in form and voice as he investigates the death of parents, the loss of homeland, and a widening natural history, not only of his beloved Midwest but of the tropical flora and fauna of a Caribbean island. Together, these poems showcase the evolution of Baker’s distinct eco-poetic conscience, his mastery of forms both erotic and elegiac, and his keen eye for the shifting landscapes of passion, heartbreak, and renewal. With equal curiosity and candor, Baker explores the many worlds we all inhabit—from our most intimate relationships to the wider social worlds of neighborhoods, villages, and our complex national identity, to the environmental community we all share. With his dazzling formal restlessness and lifelong devotion to landscapes both natural and human on full display, David Baker demonstrates why he has been called “the most expansive and moving poet to come out of the American Midwest since James Wright” (Marilyn Hacker).

The Poems of Jonathan Swift Vol. 1 is a collection of poems written by Jonathan Swift, an Irish satirist, essayist, and poet of the 18th century. The book contains a diverse range of Swift's works, from his earliest verses to his most famous satires. The collection includes a wide range of topics, including political and social commentary, religion, human nature, and love. Many of Swift's poems are witty and humorous, while others are deeply introspective and melancholic. Some of his most famous poems, such as "A Modest Proposal" and "The Lady's Dressing Room," are included in this volume. Throughout the book, Swift's mastery of language and his ability to use satire to expose the absurdities of society are on full display. His works offer a glimpse into the political and cultural landscape of 18th-century England and Ireland, making this collection an important piece of literary history. Overall, The Poems of Jonathan Swift Vol. 1 is a must-read for anyone interested in Swift's poetry or the literature of the 18th century.

Individually the seventeen essays in this volume reflect the particularity of Swift's verse, while together they suggest the patterns of his thought and attest to his artistic achievement. Written by some of the most noted scholars of Swift, these essays are responses to specific challenges in the poet's work, and represent our current understanding of Swift's canon and its relation to the forms of Augustan poetry.