I think [Collected Poems: 1940–1978] will prove to be poetry that will last awhile, a lifetime's work that will be a monument to a certain tradition in writing, one that will not wear away or become obsolete, in the sense of useless, for the coming generation….

[Shapiro] has always been factual, direct in statement, and clear about defining his subject, which is most often an occasional one. Shapiro usually writes about persons, places, or things, which was, incidentally the title of his first book: Person, Place, and Thing. Here are some titles from his 3rd book, Trial of a Poet, that suggest his themes: "Homecoming," "The Conscientious Objector," "The Convert," "The Southerner," "The Voyage."

It would be the simplest thing in the world to summarize by paraphrasing almost any Shapiro poem … indeed, it would be unnecessary to do so, precisely because he has always been so clear, so objective...