The Complete Michelangelo Poems

Michelangelo, the celebrated artist, is often overshadowed by his devotion to poetry, despite his magnificent achievements in the visual arts. Using poetry as a medium, Michelangelo expressed personal feelings that were too intimate for sculpture or painting. John Frederick Nims has expertly translated Michelangelo's entire body of verse, covering the artist's passionate twenties to his troubled eighties, in a collection that offers a tantalizing glimpse into his intriguing mind.

Kirkus Reviews praises the collection as "Wonderful," stating that Nims presents Michelangelo in his entirety, showcasing him as a versatile love sonneteer, political allegorist, and a solitary madrigal singer. The St. Louis Post-Dispatch describes Nims' translation as "splendid, fresh, and eloquent," praising his ability to convey the full meaning and message of Michelangelo's love sonnets and religious poems in smoothly rhymed, metrical forms.

Choice lauds the collection as "the best so far," noting Nims' skill in capturing the sound and sense of Michelangelo's poetic vocabulary. Ronald L. Martinez from the Washington Times declares Nims' translation to be "surely the most compelling available in English." Overall, Nims' unparalleled collection of Michelangelo's poetry offers readers a deeper understanding of the artist's complex emotions and artistic genius.

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