The section titles of this work give an indication of the passion of Micheal O'Siadhail for words as the building blocks of poetry.

'Wonder of Words', gives O'Siadhail's approach to the astonishing phenomenon of language and explores the dimensions of his vocation as a poet.

'Working the Word', gives four master classes in 'the beloved craft' of poetry.

'Wise in Words', is more philosophic in approach, dealing with views of history and the future, spirituality, and the rich, complex terrain where poetry, philosophy and theology try to probe the mysteries of reality.

'Woven in Words', is a selection of O'Siadhail's responses to seven fellow poets: Kavanagh, Yeats, Rilke, Beckett, Herbert, Levertov and O'Donnell. Here he stands in 'the fellowship of poets across generations, in a community of relationships over time'.

This collection of essays and lectures from a cosmopolitan intellectual poet, who was trained as a linguist, brings a unique vision to the interweaving of words and thoughts which is the essence of poetry.