The Brass Ring

"The Brass Ring", Hofstadter's ninth book of poetry, describes the coming-out of a man who once considered himself straight, later gay and finally bisexual. There are poems dedicated to various men and women. Not all the poems are about sexuality, though. Many are concerned with Hofstadter's experiences with illness, including kidney disease. Others deal with war and revolution, music, aging, and the author's career as a librarian.