It took the publication of the lengthy work 'The Ring and the Book' to gain Robert Browning recognition in his lifetime. But today, the Victorian poet is more admired for these, his shorter poems, complete with their powerful dramatic monologues. The preface to 'Shorter Poems', by Teachers' College, New York, says the poems are perfect for the "tastes and capacities of readers of the high-school age". They are, but they are also perfect for the tastes and capacities of readers of all ages. With rhymes that are often discordant and sentences that defy literary convention, Browning's work is pioneering and challenging. He provokes thought and even defies understanding. Browning's work is perfect for fans of Percy Shelley, Lord Byron and W. H. Auden.
