John Donne (1572-1631) is firmly fixed in the canon of English literature. "No man is an island" and "For whom the bell tolls" are just two of his phrases known by virtually everyone.

The Poems of John Donne is a two volume edition of Donnes poems based on a comprehensive re-evaluation of his work from composition to circulation and reception. Donnes output is tremendously varied in style and form and demonstrates his ability to change his writing according to context and occasion. This edition presents the text of all his known poems, from the epigrams, songs and satires written for fellow young men about town, to the more mature verse-epistles and memorial elegies written for his patrons.

Volume One contains the Epigrams, Verse Letters to Friends, Love Lyrics, Love Elegies and Satires.

John Donne is considered the best of the metaphysical poets and one of the greatest writers of love poetry ever. This fully comprehensive annotated edition of his poetry will be considered the best edition to read him in.

• Annotations give detailed guidance on the wealth of classical and religious allusions and give full representation to the literary, historical and philosophical culture out of which the poems grew
• The books are organised to reproduce the manner in which Donne's original readers first encountered the poems in the various manuscripts of his elegies and satires that circulated in Donne's lifetime
• Each poem has extensive editorial commentary designed to put the twenty first century reader in possession of all that is necessary fully to appreciate Donne's work
• Donne's own text has been modernised in punctuation and spelling except where to do so would alter or disrupt a rhyme.