In Studies in Poetry, J.M. Beach traces the history of poetry and poetic philosophy in the West. Beach provides a comprehensive, yet selective look into the more "radical" figures of English and American literature, and a topical exploration of Western Poetic Theory, centered on a humanistic mysticism—specifically on romantic theories of the mind and subjectivity. This book will give students a generalized, yet relevantly contemporary definition of "poetry," through an in-depth exploration of several poet's major works and themes.