According to Swenson, these Iconographic Poems were composed with the shape as an integral part of the poem's meaning. In this respect, they fulfill the definition of Concrete Poetry, viz. poems that are to be seen, as well as read and heard.Kirkus Review (1970): As the title suggests, Miss Swenson's fourth book of poetry reaffirms her belief in the possibilities of calligraphic verse (which makes graphic use of page space and type to produce a pictorial symbol of the poem's subject). Thus, we have an ode to ""An Old Field Jacket"" printed in the shape of a chevron patch; ""The Blue Bottle"" arranged in the design of a, yes, bottle; and the double helix of ""The DNA Molecule"" represented in stairstep coils. Beyond these diagrammatic experiments, Miss Swenson is also interested in writing original poetry, which except for a few well-worn conceits and cliches (""My eye my I,"" ""the bridge of Discover,"" ""animal beauty"" of the black man), she manages to do. Many will find the formulistic devices (""Science and Religion,"" ""Electronic Sound,"" ""MAsterMANANiMAL"") overly structured and distracting, but they should lake time to notice that the author has her romantic, conservative moments (""Women,"" ""The Lowering,"" ""Redundant Journey""). The immediacy achieved via her imagery--almost eidetic at times--complements her succinctness in describing a variety of experiences and compensates the general reader for much of tire irregularity in her flee verse. -- Source of annotation: Marvin or Ruth Sackner.