Capturing his inimitable voice—provocative, amusing, understated, and riotous all at once—the poems in demonstrate James Tate at his finest. Innovative and fresh, they range in subject from a talking blob to a sobering reminiscence of a war and its aftereffects. Though they are diverse in scope, a theme of dialogue and communication—and often miscommunication—links these poems. Accessible yet subtly surrealist, filled with dark wit, dry humor, and a deceptive simplicity, confirms Tate’s continuing relevance as one of the most celebrated American poets of the modern age.