A collection of essays and some related poems by almost 30 contemporary poets who have worked for years outside the "mainstream" of British publishing. Many are or have been small-press publishers and editors too.

Part 1 The conditions of writing: uttering poetry - small-press publication, Nigel Wheale; grasping the plural, Ken Edwards; you can't get there from hre, Nick Totton; writing and not writing, John Hall; two poems, Grace Lake; the state of poetry today, Tom Raworth. Part 2 What the work is: from - unconscious/unfolding/voice, and the particularity of poetry, Martin Harrison; two poems, Martin Harrison; the subject of poems, Michael Haslam; two poems, John Riley; what are you going to call it?, John Riley; moving buildings, Anthony Barnett; subsequent looping, Allen Fisher; the creative moment of the poem, Peter Riley; John Clare's mountain, Wendy Mulford. Part 3 Readings and beginnings: three poems, mark Hyatt; a curve of reading, Nigel Wheale; objects that come alive at night, Geoffrey Ward; two poems, Geoffrey Ward; dream and restoration, John Welch; two poems, John Welch; imperfect pitch, John Wilkinson; sometimes a word will start it, Kelvin Corcoran. Part 4 Particular studies: the poet as ethnographer, Martin Thomp; pages from "La Tempesta", Tom Lowenstein; about filibustering in Samsara, and after filibustering in Samsara, Tom Lowenstein; an introduction to Veronica Forrest-Thomson's work, Martin Harrison; from poetic artifice, Veronica Forrest-Thomson; the medium itself, rabbit by proxy - some thoughts about reading J.H. Prynne, Ian Patterson. Part 5 Ways of working: a theory of poetry, John James; a period of gestation, Ralph Hawkins; working processes of a woman poet, Carlyle Reedy; poet on writing, Roy Fisher; three lilies, Douglas Oliver.