"If there is a book that beautifully configures the weight of the present into contexts of aesthetics, of intersections or collisions with science, religion, and ideas of poetry, it is this collection of essays by Daniel Tobin, a poet whose erudite seriousness travels the seen and the unseen realities of our lives. This is a set of diverse and inclusive meditations by one of our most noted poets." - Afaa M. Weaver, author of A Fire in the Hills"The Odeon is a symphonic achievement that sets contemporary American and English poetry within and against the historical backdrop of Western poetry. Tobin is himself one of America's most accomplished poets, whose poems bring a deep sense of intellectual and cultural history to bear on even the most intimate and personal experience. It's no surprise that his discussions of poetry are equally wide-ranging, erudite, and detailed—and a total delight to read." - Alan Shapiro, author of By and By