The Complete Works of W. H. Auden: Poems, Volume I: 1927–1939, W. H. Auden (2022).

This article reviews the two-volume edition *The Complete Works of W. H. Auden: Poems*, covering 1927–1939 and 1940–1973, published by Princeton University Press and edited by Auden’s literary executor Edward Mendelson. It highlights Mendelson’s extensive scholarship and editorial decisions, including presenting original poem versions alongside detailed textual notes on revisions, and situates Auden’s work within his collaborations, religious faith, and complex personal and political contexts. The review addresses critical debates about Auden’s “English” versus “American” phases, emphasizing continuities in his poetry and his enduring influence as a major twentieth-century poet whose work combines intellectual rigor, formal versatility, and ethical engagement. It also underscores Auden’s significance as a religious poet and his lasting relevance to readers confronting both historical and personal crises.