Among the subjects Strand explores -- the relationship between photographs and poems, the eternal nature of the lyric, the contemporary use of old forms, four American views of Mount Parnassus, and an alphabet of poetic "influences". He writes about himself as a reader of poetry. He transports us to surreal, deadpan parallel worlds that comment on our relationship with poetry: a nursery school teacher details her frustrations in translating Rilke as she undresses for a tryst; a president explains why he reads Chekhov to his cabinet; Borges stops by to sit on the edge of the bathtub for a chat.

Throughout, Strand illuminates the crucial job of poets and their readers, who together joyfully attempt the impossible -- to understand through language that which lies beyond words.