first edition of the author's second major poetry collection

This edition was the first major collection of Geoffrey Hill's poetry in over a decade. It retains a good quality publisher's binding and illustrated dustjacket. The title refers to Aesop's fable, 'The Frogs Asking for a King.' In the fable, the frogs entreat Jupiter for a ruler and he responds by sending them an inanimate log. The illustration on the upper dustjacket is taken from a 15th century edition of Aesop in the collection of the British Museum.

Hill's poetry approaches themes of Christianity, European history, and tradition. In 2013, Nicholas Lezard called Hill the 'greatest living poet in the English language.'

First edition; 8vo (21.5 x 14 cm); light offset on title page, otherwise very clean; publisher's brown cloth lightly faded, spine lettered in gilt, original uncut yellow dustjacket lettered in burgundy and black with an upper illustration taken from a 15th c. woodcut (lightly rubbed at edges), a very good copy; 70pp.