On the front cover of Marilyn Bowering's new book of poems there is a photograph of the poet. She is, as the acknowledgements inform us, wearing an expensive dress from Creeds and expensive jewellry designed by Tony Calvetti of Vancouver. If the poet as Vogue model seems an unpromising beginning to a book, the remark of Zsa Zsa Gabor which gives it its title ("I never hated a man enough to give diamonds back") certainly does not instill confidence nor help to dispel the feeling that there is less here than meets the eye. That is too bad, because although the collection overall is rather weak, due largely to the limitations of Bowering's interests and the small range of her voice, Giving Back Diamonds does nevertheless contain some fine poems. "Under the Influence," for example, is a taut and effective poem, perhaps (as Bowering says) "something outside myself...