A Change of Affairs Author:Michael Schmidt Michael Schmidt's new collection of poems advances on his earlier work both in formal and thematic range. The highly decorated style of his previous poetry has given way to a greater thrift and acerbity. He has left behind the elaborate imaginary landscapes and, even in the allegorical poems, entered a world of social contingencies. In a sense, ... more »this is his first collection as an English poet. The American models are no longer apparent. The book is divided into three parts: the allegorical poems, the title sequence which charts the development of a relationship, and a final section of lyrical poems.« less