"The Virginiad" is history in poetry. Completely original, it explores Virginia from 1607 to the present day as it unravels themes such as the fight for religious liberty and freedom of speech; the expansion of the frontier; the Revolution, Civil War, and Civil Rights struggles; and the fight for democracy.This is poetry at its extraordinary best. It lives, it breathes, it dances!It is also very good history – as seen through the eyes of ordinary folk: slaves, Native Americans, tenant farmers, peddlers, nurses, and clerks. It follows the history of great houses and communities, of industries and crafts, and peeks at our national heroes as others might have viewed them. The poetry mixes songs, cultural customs, religious awakenings, social beliefs, and political movements to present a far wider context for the history of Virginia than usual – for many of the issues raised in James Towne in 1607 are the same issues we are debating today.