Reconstruction of the Poet

This spectacular compendium from Polish poet Herbert (1924–1998) consists of writing previously unseen or only available in periodicals. As the introduction notes, many of the poems were not collected elsewhere to avoid causing political difficulties for their writer. Three plays are also included, written “when Herbert was studying philosophy, trying his voice, and articulating his purpose in the face of the hardening of Stalinist rule in Poland.” Herbert takes on big subjects, including Homer, Socrates, and art itself, offering a fascinating look into a complex mind. As well as adding to Herbert’s epic “Mr. Cogito” sequence, the collection includes 32 posthumously published poems, which are wise, sophisticated, and full of feeling: “my poor kingdom the kingdom of doubt.” Herbert elegizes his troubled generation of writers, “all of us volunteers in the cruel war called literature,” alongside heartbreaking love poems and pointed meditations: “Everything that can be achieved/ by so-called art/ is contained in the concept of reconciliation.” Delicate, perfectly pitched, and rich in insight, this volume reveals an essential body of work. (Aug.)