A thoroughly edited text of one of 20th-century Spain's most famous volumes of poetry. An introduction offers an in-depth commentary on Machado's themes, techniques and metaphysical manner. In addition to examining the various influences on his work - Krausism, Bergsonism and the '98 Generation's concern for "el problema de Espana" - the introduction looks at Machado's life, especially the years of composition, 1907-17, and it traces the critical phases in his poetic development: the discovery of the Castilian landscape in Soria, his growing political consciousness, his personal tragedy as a bereaved husband and his existential meditaions in Baeza. Annotations in the form of endnotes provide additional factual information and clarify points of difficulty in the text.