A collection of unseen poems by Lou Reed is to be published for the first time in April.

On what would have been Reed’s 76th birthday, the Lou Reed Archive announced the publication of its first book, Do Angels Need Haircuts?, which compiles his unpublished poems from 1970-71.

The book, which was written shortly after Reed quit The Velvet Underground, features an afterword by Laurie Anderson, a foreword by poet Anne Waldman, photography from the iconic era and previously unreleased recordings from a 1971 reading at St Mark’s Church in New York City.

The book, to come out in April, offers “a window to a little-known chapter in the life of one of the most uncompromising voices in American popular culture,” publishing house Anthology said in its announcement.

Two other poems titled ‘We Are the People’ and ‘Lipstick’ are already available to stream on the SoundCloud website.

The former poem begins: “We are the people without land. We are the people without tradition. We are the people who do not know how to die peacefully and at ease. We are the thoughts of sorrows. Endings of tomorrows. We are the wisps of rulers and the jokers of kings.”