In Weathers Permitting, Stephen Sandy's hallmarks of sumptuous diction, vivid detail, and highly wrought lines serve to move us toward a fresh appreciation of the intricacies of human relationships. Whether contemplating a joyful holiday or a dying friend, a missing child or house repairs, Stephen Sandy follows the twists and turns of the mind, bringing us to unexpected insights and ever-deepening awareness. Religious faith occupies the core of this tightly focused collection, and poems such as "Stable"--recalling the changes in a family's Christmas ornaments over the years--reveal a reassuring togetherness in the forbidding environment of our time.