József published his first volume of poetry A szépség koldusa (Beauty's beggar) in 1922; at the time of publishing, he was seventeen and still in school.

In 1925, József published his second collection of poems, Nem én kiáltok (It's not me who shouts).
József's works were praised by such internationally known Hungarian researchers and critics as Béla Balázs and György Lukács.
In 1927, several French magazines published József's poems.

József's third collection of poems, Nincsen apám se anyám (1929) (I have nor father nor mother), showed the influence of French surrealism and Hungarian poets Endre Ady, Gyula Juhász and Lajos Kassák.

In the 1930s, József turned his focus from a search for beauty to the plight of the working class and reflected his interest in Communism.
In 1932, Külvárosi éj (Night in the outskirts), a mature collection of poems, was published.
His most famous love poem, Óda ("Ode"), from 1933, took the reader for a journey around and inside the body of the beloved woman.

József's last two books were Medvetánc (Bear dance) and Nagyon fáj (It hurts very much), published in 1934 and 1936 respectively.
With these works he gained wide critical attention.
Ideologically, he had started to advocate humane socialism and alliance with all democratic forces.
It was Attila József who first formulated the ars poetica of transrealism in his 1937 poem Welcome to Thomas Mann.
József's political essays were later included in Volume 3.
of his Collected Works (1958).
József published his first volume of poetry A szépség koldusa (Beauty's beggar) in 1922; at the time of publishing, he was seventeen and still in school. 
In 1925, József published his second collection of poems, Nem én kiáltok (It's not me who shouts). József's works were praised by such internationally known Hungarian researchers and critics as Béla Balázs and György Lukács. In 1927, several French magazines published József's poems.
József's third collection of poems, Nincsen apám se anyám (1929) (I have nor father nor mother), showed the influence of French surrealism and Hungarian poets Endre Ady, Gyula Juhász and Lajos Kassák. 
In the 1930s, József turned his focus from a search for beauty to the plight of the working class and reflected his interest in Communism. In 1932, Külvárosi éj (Night in the outskirts), a mature collection of poems, was published. His most famous love poem, Óda ("Ode"), from 1933, took the reader for a journey around and inside the body of the beloved woman. 
József's last two books were Medvetánc (Bear dance) and Nagyon fáj (It hurts very much), published in 1934 and 1936 respectively. With these works he gained wide critical attention. Ideologically, he had started to advocate humane socialism and alliance with all democratic forces. It was Attila József who first formulated the ars poetica of transrealism in his 1937 poem Welcome to Thomas Mann. József's political essays were later included in Volume 3. of his Collected Works (1958).
Attila József