AustLit

'In the book's second poem, "Climbing the Tower of Babel," the poet talks us through his learning of the Italian language, echoing how "this isn't yours to call your own," and this, coming from a Caucasian poet in Australia, is perhaps a subtly intentional, pointed image; the point is that West is finding a way to talk within (and perhaps from beyond) a country of "death-tinged colors" (29): It was love that kept me going despite myself, that and the elusive charity of words.' (Publication abstract)