There’s not a single poem on this CD that is unpleasant to listen to, and all are delivered beautifully, with the skill of a great actor. Though never simple, Eliades’ work is always accessible to the reader, but more so when read aloud. The rhyme and alliteration are made stronger, and the tonal quality of his voice draws out meaning. In “3rd i”, for example, the title poem, we have a godlike poet’s voice which is capable of whispering, shouting, seducing, and directing. It celebrates the power of poetry, both to make our lives immortal, but also to turn the simplest of moments into the most extraordinary: “we warn tragedy away by breathing.”

For a lover of the kind of complex poetry that Eliades writes, there will never be a substitute for the slow, repeated reading of words on a page. But listening to 3rd i is indeed a completely different experience – one where you can chant along, or allow lines to permeate directly into you while driving. Listening to Basil Eliades deliver his exquisite lines with breathless excitement, sincerity and elan, is indeed, delicious.

For a live performance of a few pieces from this collection, and an interview with Eliades, visit The Compulsive Reader Talks from the 12th of March 2008.