The way in which young poets are using autobiography meaningfully to extend the range of their subject matter is shown in two fine sequences in Peter Davison's first book, The Breaking of the Day…. The first sequence, "Not Forgotten," contains five poems about his mother's death from cancer. Since the sequence focuses on a real protagonist, the mother, the poet has the advantage of a dramatic relationship, which he expresses with rare compassion and powerful imagery…. The second sequence, "The Breaking of the Day," derives from Genesis, the story of Jacob wrestling with the Angel. The subject is the poet's search for identity and faith after his conflict with his Christian father and his Jewish mother. Again, the characters are presented with compassion and understanding and no self-pity. In these poems Davison uses a direct, colloquial style that he makes uniquely his own. In other poems his subjects...