This collection brings together all the poems published by James Joyce in his lifetime, most notably "Chamber Music" and "Pomes Penyeach". It also includes a large body of his satiric or humorous occasional verse, much of which is fugitive and little known to the general reader.

Declan Kiberd argues that 'Ulysses', far from being the epitome of elitism, was always intended as a book for the common people. Kiberd explains that Joyce's book offers a democratic model for living well under the pressures of the modern world.

James Joyce is arguably the greatest writer of the 20th century, but, for many, his books remain an impenetrable mystery. With the help of a commentary, a guide to Joyce's writing, and a bank of material gleaned from 30 years teaching Joyce in the classroom, David Pierce's book makes sense of Joyce's work for today's reader.