Paul Muldoon Poetry, Prose, Drama A Collection of Critical Essays

During the past three decades, there has been a substantial body of bibliographical, critical and biographical material published testifying to Stephens' significance as poet, novelist, essayist, and short story writer. There has been an edition of his "Letters by Richard J. Finneran" (1974) and a two volume "Uncollected Prose" edited by Patricia McFate (1983). In addition, some of his prose works have been reprinted ("The Crock of Gold"; "Irish Fairy Tales"; "Deirdre" and "Insurrection in Dublin" are presently listed by Amazon.co.uk), so a volume of Stephens' poetry is long overdue. At the present time it is virtually impossible to locate any volume of Stephens' poetry outside a library. In the case of his "Collected Poems", (1954), even if one finds a copy, it is difficult to evaluate the poet's progress, influences, or interests at any given period since the poems are arranged thematically under charming but elusive titles which, for the most part, tell nothing about the contents or