W.G. Shepherd's second book gathers his poems since "Sun, Oak, Almond, I" (1970). A strong sense of fantasy and humour plays its part in this collection, which ranges from the intriguing experiments of "The Antonine Poems" to the plain and moving narratives of "Memorials", and the compact, restrained and powerful versions from Horace and other ancient poets. In all his writing, Bill Shepherd tests the resources of his poetic language with wit and skill.