Although central to his poems is the landscape of America's Southwest, Peter Wild's poetry sweeps across the continent of human experience and fantasy. Born in Northampton, Massachusetts, Wild's fascination with the West began in his youth, and after graduation from high school he went west to work on a ranch. By the end of the summer, his enthusiasm for ranch work had declined, and he entered the University of Arizona, Tucson. During his summer vacations Wild remained in the West doing ranch work and fighting fires for the U.S. Forestry Service. After receiving a B.A. (1962) and an M.A. (1967) from the University of Arizona,he went on to the University of California, Irvine, which awarded him an M.F.A. in 1969. In 1971 he returned to the University of Arizona to teach in the English department, where he is now a full professor. Wild's love for the...