JAMES CLARKE has authored many volumes of poetry that explore his role as a judge, as a father, as a husband, and as a man of conscience in the world. These books have earned him a reputation for insight into the nature of human judgment and mercy, forgiveness and responsibility. THE QUALITY OF MERCY is the second of Clarke's more intimate and revealing collections, following WINTER WITH FLOWERS, that responds to questions of family and spirituality and legacy. Its poetry is deft and mature, sensitive and rich, the gift of a father to his family.