Is Poseidon even interested in human affairs? Does the ruler of the seas still watch our actions? Cees Nooteboom takes the plunge: he writes letters to the god with the trident, asking for permission to return to his summer island each year when he leaves in the autumn. In these letters, he shares his daily observations, his thoughts on gods and God, and a new perspective on old myths. For instance, a chance encounter on the beach leads to the question of whether a small boy can be the mirror in which one's own age fades away. The plants in the author's Mediterranean garden, on the other hand, are little concerned with such matters; they lead their own lives: hibiscus and cacti hunker down in defense when the radio sends the powerful sounds of Bayreuth through the air. And the agave, which probably speaks with a Mexican accent, has its own agenda anyway.