In the title poem of this collection, the speaker declares that "the common measure of love is loss," signature qualities of the poems of Michael Waters. Parthenopi: New and Selected Poems collects the best of Waters, whose vivid, sensual poems evoke poignant memories of loss and the emotional aftermath. Contains generous selections from Waters’ six previous volumes, as well as new work.

Michael Waters is the author of six previous poetry collections. Among his awards are a Fellowship in Creative Writing from the National Endowment for the Arts, two Individual Artist Awards from the Maryland State Arts Council and two Pushcart Prizes. He is professor of English at Salisbury State University in his home town of Salisbury, Maryland.