The Dream of Intelligence

This lucid poem, readable as an inspired novel... is a series of dream-soliloquies, where Barker, through the persona of Nietzsche, seeks a synthesis of Apollo and Dionysis. The blank verse is original, as distinctive as Wordsworth's... lean, strong in content. This is a book to settle down with and re-read... English poetry is alive and well.

...worthy to be mentioned in the company of Coleridge, Wordsworth and Nietzsche.

Barker's real achievement is his presentation of Nietzsche's philosophy in flexible and energetic verse.