The library shelves are stocked full of love stories, however, few of them are as epic and engaging as the compilation written here by Anthony Smith. Encompassing a third of a century, the love poems and prose here are part of a long-range, long term relationship involving one of the linguistic masters of a generation. Never, in all my years of editing, have I encountered anyone so well-informed on language, with the imagination to use that knowledge in a competent and completely original manner. For more sensitive readers, I assure you of a happy ending. Rich and rewarding, this book is a tour de force that discriminating readers should not miss.