In this collection of essays, Mariani brings to light issues surrounding spirituality and poetry. By infusing scholarly criticism with a personal voice, Mariani allows us to see the relationship between poetry and a sublime presence in the universe.

Paul Mariani is the author of "Thirty Days: On Retreat with the Exercises of St. Ignatius" and five volumes of poetry, including, most recently, "The Great Wheel." Besides several critical studies, he has also published biographies of Robert Lowell, William Carlos Williams, Hart Crane, and John Berryman. Mariani currently holds a Chair in English at Boston College.