I Only Know That I Love Strength in My Friends and Greatness

James Liddy, Irish, catholic and gay, is one of Ireland's greatest poets. He stands critically among the best, as he flies in the margins. This new collection weaves Liddy's images of life, love, religion and sexuality, and he applauds—but is also not afraid to look "askance" at— his friends and other poets. As critic Mike Begnal says in his Afterword, Liddy, the outsider, "remains dangerous and potent. An on-the-run priest at the Mass Rock. He has his readers; he will have more. He does not crave critical acceptance, only the regard of his friends." This collection is a highlight in a career which continues to soar.