Collected Poems brings together all John Forbes's published poems, both in books and literary magazines. The volume includes a Foreword by Gig Ryan and an Introduction by Don Anderson.

'At the time of his untimely death in 1998, at the age of 47, John Forbes was widely recognized as one of Australia's most distinguished poets. At once lyrical and witty, knowing and insouciant, he was in the words of Don Anderson, "our Postmodern Orpheus". He wore little on his sleeve but had a lot of knowledge tucked up it, both erudite and popular, ranging from pop music to Renaissance texts on drawing and proportion. This he juggled with a rare elan, sometimes to a surprisingly cautionary effect.' - Carl Harrison-Ford

'In John Forbes's work poetry is thought, and for the poet, the only true act. It seems peripheral then to survey the person - of course he was like his poems, witty and brilliant.' - Gig Ryan

'Think of John Forbes as a Brett Whiteley of words with intellectual rigour.' - Don Anderson