A collection of poetry spanning the full range of the African-born author's acclaimed career has been updated to include seven never-before-published works, as well as much of his early poetry that explores such themes as the African consciousness, the tragedy of Biafra, and the mysteries of human relationships.

Prologue --The The A A The Epilogue Notes. In lieu of a preface: a parable -- 1966 -- Benin road -- Mango seedling -- Pine tree in spring -- Explorer -- Agostinho Neto -- Poems about war -- First shot -- Mother in a refugee camp -- Christmas in Biafra(1969) -- Air raid -- Biafra, 1969 -- An "if" of history -- Remembrance day -- Wake for Okigbo -- After a war -- Poems not about war -- Love song (for Anna) -- Love cycle -- Question -- Answer -- Beware, soul brother -- NON-commitment -- Generation gap -- Misunderstanding -- Knowing robs us -- Bull and egret -- Lazarus -- Vultures -- Public execution in pictures -- Gods, men and others -- Penalty of godhead -- Those gods are children -- Lament of the sacred python -- Their idiot song -- Nigerian census -- Flying -- He loves me, he loves me not -- Dereliction -- We laughed at him -- In lieu of a preface: a parable -- Prologue -- 1966 -- Benin road -- Mango seedling -- Pine tree in spring -- The Explorer -- Agostinho Neto -- Poems about war -- The First shot -- A Mother in a refugee camp -- Christmas in Biafra(1969) -- Air raid -- Biafra, 1969 -- An "if" of history -- Remembrance day -- A Wake for Okigbo -- After a war -- Poems not about war -- Love song (for Anna) -- Love cycle -- Question -- Answer -- Beware, soul brother -- NON-commitment -- Generation gap -- Misunderstanding -- Knowing robs us -- Bull and egret -- Lazarus -- Vultures -- Public execution in pictures -- Gods, men and others -- Penalty of godhead -- Those gods are children -- Lament of the sacred python -- Their idiot song -- The Nigerian census -- Flying -- Epilogue He loves me, he loves me not -- Dereliction -- We laughed at him -- Notes.