The beautiful introductory poem, 'Temple ritual' establishes a range of emotional and sensual notes that resound through the whole of The Three Graces.
It is suffused with richly evocative linguistic music and imagery, complemented at times with occasional background rhyming, always striking the right notes. The book as a whole represents a remarkable artistic achievement, without peer in the canon of Australian poetry. The rich cross-weave of historical, literary and philosophical allusions creates a resonant gravitas, immersing the reader in a multi-dimensional depth of meaning.
This holds for the richly autobiographical narrative in Part I, the delicate reticences and ironies of Part II and the stunning erotic poetry of Part III, which constitutes almost a history of desire itself.
- Rod Moran, poet and literary editor