In this dusty rear-view mirror: 55 poems

is a travelogue of the soul - anchored by a unifying voice that is authentic, reassuring yet searching. In its scope it draws from a youth spent in the rolling hills (and sometimes dark valleys) of South Gippsland in Victoria, to journeys in middle age through California and the vast deserts of the American south-west. Rodney Williams's poetry brims with stunning metaphors, a strong affection for the comedic, astute explorations of form, rhythm and style and unusual skill in evoking layered atmospherics, in both the human and natural worlds.

This is a collection born of an unquenchable fascination with words in all their hues and configurations, a deep respect for literary tradition and a heartfelt desire to celebrate with great intelligence the shared experiences which bind us. As In this dusty rear-view mirror itself suggests, Rodney Williams is alert to what has gone before, whilst keeping a firm view on the road ahead - always on the lookout for a new intersection.

- Peter Roberts (author of A Sort of Homecoming)