This collection engages with traditional forms and carries out various kinds of experimentation centering on the physical meaning of life. The poems confront issues of cognitive, spiritual and erotic experience, and address longing and desire in the material world. The Creature yearns for new language in which we can all more truly live.

1 Their Solitary Way The Millennium Turning To the Reader Our Host Confused 'Evening Faces' History Plato's House Summer Traveler What is Found 'Why Not Be Totally Changed into Fire?' Such Blessing 'Their Solitary Way' The Operation Roughening 2 A Man Who Was Afraid of Language A Man Who Was Afraid of Language The Monastery Gate A Priest I Once What Was to Happen Already Occurred Drifting Summer Work What is Revealed Harold Graves Considers the Last Decade River Front Bar At the Archabbey Colloquy Sanctuary Country House Monuments Psalm in a Time of War 3 Creature Creature's Introduction Creature Downcast The Creature Bids Farewell to His Mate Creature Arrested Creature Back Home The Creature Entranced Creature's Class War The Creature Enraged Creature at the River Front Creature in Extremis The Creature Midway Creature's First Memory The Creature's Thanksgiving The Creature at Leisure Creature's Morning Song Creature Remembers His Mate Creature at the Mall Creature in Congruence with the Moon Summa Contra Creature Creature's Love Song Creature's Nightmare The Creature's Evening Creature at a Party Creature's Lament Creature by the Window Creature's Pronouncement Creature Lights a Candle The Creature Outside The Creature on Saturday Creature's Confession Creature on Delivery Creature at Rest The Creature Goes Home Again The Creature's Activism Creature at the Airport Creature on Art The Creature's Summa Creature on the Town Creature on the Fourth of July The Creature on His Beat Creature at Work Creature Considers the Dark Creature Meets the Executioner The Creature's Reverie The Creature Walking The Creature's Sadness Creature at the Piano The Creature Searching The Creature in Repose