This is Desmond Graham's sixth book of poetry since 1993, which has already won a Poetry Book Society recommendation.A single poem sequence, it begins in the Second World War and advances in diverse and unforeseen directions as the poet attempts to understand the nature of the heart. Historical and public events blend with the private life of the poet as he learns about the world around him. The poem is driven by a strong narrative that involves the reader in the poet's quest to discover what is it full of/the heart? It builds, as an oratorio builds, through motif and counterpoint, through dramatic changes of pace and tone, to its surprising finale.