Born in Sydney in 1948, Michael Dransfield was first published in the mid sixties in the underground press that sprang up during that time of great political and social unrest. Like many of his contemporaries he questioned the values and mores of mainstream society, and chose to live somewhat outside them. He spent most of his adult years either living the life of a bohemian in suburbs like Balmain and Paddington, or roaming around the countryside. As a result, his poetry gave a voice to people marginalised by society. Yet his work was not limited to social or political commentary; a true romantic at heart, much of his prolific output is of a lyrical beauty. He died in 1973, at the age of just twenty-four; his poetry remains as vivid and highly regarded today as it was then.