This collection is a revised edition of Edward Thomas's acclaimed poetry collection, originally published by Edna Longley in 1973. Looking beyond the titles of War"" or ""Nature"" poet that have been given Thomas, Longley's work advances his reputation as a major modern poet. This new edition includes all his poems and draws on freshly available archive material. The extensive Notes contain substantial quotations from Thomas's prose, letters and notebooks, as well as a new commentary on the poems.

Philip Edward Thomas (3 March 1878 – 9 April 1917) was an Anglo-Welsh poet and journalist. An accomplished writer, Thomas only turned to poetry in his later life after encouragement from the poet Robert Frost.

Following the outbreak of World War I Thomas enlisted in the army in 1915, and he is considered one of the war poets, although few of his poems deal directly with his war experiences. He was killed in action during the Battle of Arras (1917), soon after he arrived in France.