Yannis Ritsos is one of Greece's most prolific, distinguished and celebrated poets whose many honors include the Alfred de Vigny Award (France, 1975) and the Lenin Prize (U.S.S.R., 1977).Yannis Ritsos: Selected Poems 1938-1988 features more than 440 poems from 43 of Ritsos' short and long poems by the editors, an index of 117 of Ritsos' books of poetry, translation, fiction, essays and drama, and more than 25 illustrations based on Yannis Ritsos' celebrated paintings on rocks. The work of 17 translators,Yannis Ritsos: Selected Poems 1938-1988 is a monumental volume that generously represents 50 years of this gigantic poet's work.