The judicious use of italics throughout [Even Tide] is part of the technique of creating a more distant voice speaking to the immediate, consistently strong "I." This dialogue is extended frequently to others, sometimes simply "you" (meaning his wife, presumably, judging from other references), sometimes to named individuals whose identity is neither often specified nor necessarily relevant.

But addressing another does give an informal, conversational quality to the poems, which goes hand-in-hand with the varied tone of the collection….

The choice of images is equally diverse. Such apt expressions as "the kite tail of sin" are testimony to the poet's skill in imagery. The many forces and faces of nature provide a metaphorical backdrop for many of the poems. The title of the work is evidently an extension of the many references to the sea.

Clearly, there is much to admire in this trove of poems. The studied...