This is a collection of poetry which spans somewhat more than forty years. The transitions are stylistically sharp and self-evident.

A fictionalized account of the time during which the author lived in Kunming, Yunnan Province, the narrative is rendered by a gentleman who feels distinctly out of his element, and who must resort to various rather unusual measures in order for him to return toward a psychological equilibrium. The central theme is the ever-present possibility of tension between a husband and wife, particularly if they do not share the same language.

Sidney Cline meets Rita Dunn one blustery autumn morning when they are both on their way to work. He offers her a lift and she accepts his invitation. Their relationship slowly develops until her brother-in-law begins to interfere.

These stories reflect the author's preoccupations with the trials and conflicts of early married life, and the need for individuals to make their mark in the world, if only to carve a few words onto the surface of a stone.

The stories in this collection range from satire to science fiction to a realism which focuses upon working class life.

John Wheeler, a year out of a failed marriage, has lost his grip as a journalist for the Spokesman Review. He accepts a position as editor of the Willow Creek Courier, owned by the wealthy and eccentric widow Ruth Hutchins. A few months after Wheeler has gotten settled into his new life in the quaint resort town of Willow Creek, Rose LaBelle arrives driving a red Trans Am with the personalized plate proclaiming "Dancer." She fled Coeur d'Alene to escape an intolerable situation involving a considerate boyfriend who could not truly accept her occupation as an "exotic performer" at a nightclub along the Washington-Idaho state line. Wheeler and Ms Labelle are drawn to each other as fellow refugees from an urban landscape.