Don McKay is known, among other things, as Canada's foremost poet of the natural world. Most recently, he has opened himself to the mysteries of geologic wonder. In his new book, perhaps his most stunning yet, it's fossils and deep time that provide the awe. The landscape of Newfoundland has taken his linguistic virtuosity even further, sharpened his wit, and given him a lyric energy that sometimes feels as if he's lifting the planet into song.

Song for the song of the Canada geese -- Slow spring on Vancouver Island -- Song for the song of the sandhill crane -- Forlorn -- Song for the song of the common loon -- Ravens at play over Mount Work -- Juncos -- Song for the song of the purple finch -- On the barrens -- Alias rabbit, alias snowshoe hare -- Porch -- Sleeping with the river -- Batter... -- Eddy out -- Apparition -- Sleeping places -- Deep time encounters -- Labradorite -- Mistaken point -- Paradoxides ; Cephalon; Thorax ; Pygidium -- Tuff -- Snowball earth -- Rock flour -- Crinoid -- Gjall -- The wopmay orogeny : a field trip -- Thingamajig ; To clasp ; To step ; To rock -- Taking the ferry -- Descent.