'A Formula for Glass is framed by two journeys. It opens with a return, both physical and metaphorical, to the poet's birthplace, Berlin, where he confronts early childhood memories of the city and his father. It concludes with a journey through grief in the loss of his wife at the age of thirty-eight. Intervening segments focus on a variety of emotional relationships as well as political themes, exploring the worlsd of dreams and self identity. '(Source: cover)