Poems, 1975-95

Micheal O'Siadhail's poetry has always set the intensities of a life against the backdrop of worlds shaken by change. He constantly seeks new dimensions: delving passions of friendship, marriage, trust and betrayal in an urban culture, exploring the intricacies of music and science as he tries to shape an understanding of the shifts and transformations of late modernity. This book traces the continuity of a poetic voice which 'heals the rift of head and heart', resonating with classic traditions. Micheal O'Siadhail is deeply rooted in Ireland while at home in the European and American traditions. Sometimes in free verse, often in more formal modes, a concentration of meaning and music, of thought and language leads to a clarity and accessibility. This selection, taken from nine books, includes all of Hail! Madam Jazz (1992) and A Fragile City (1995), but excludes his recent collection Our Double Time (1998), which is available separately. In an illuminating introduction, Micheal O'Siadhail draws together the strands of a poetry that 'comes from the core', 'an endless jazz improvisation'.