A remarkable collection representing early and recent poems by David St. John, the critically acclaimed author of Hush , The Shore , and No Heaven . GUITAR   I have always loved the word guitar .  I have no memories of my father on the patio At dusk, strumming a Spanish tune, Or my mother draped in that fawn wicker chair Polishing her flute; I have no memories of your song, distant Sister Heart, of those steel strings sliding All night through the speaker of the car radio Between Tucumcari and Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Though I've never believed those stories Of gypsy cascades, stolen hoses, castanets, And stars, of Airstream trailers and good fortune. Though I've never met Charlie Christian, though I've danced the floors of cold longshoremen's halls, Though I've waited with the overcoats at the rear Of concerts for lute, mandolin, and two guitars – More than the music I love scaling its woven Stairways, more than the swirling chocolate of wood   I have always loved the word guitar .  The Avenues Black Poppy (at The Temple) Blue Waves The Boathouse Chapter Forever The Day Of The Sentry Desire Dolls The Doors Elegy An Essay On Liberation A Fan Sketched With Silver Egrets Francesco And Clare Gin Guitar A Hard & Noble Patience Hotel Sierra Hush I Know Interlude: Hephaestion's Prayer Iris; Vivian St. John (1891-1974) Last Night With Rafaella Leap Of Faith The Lemons Los Angeles, 1954 Lucifer In Starlight The Man In The Yellow Gloves Meditation Mercenary Muse Meridian Merlin; Italo Calvino (1923-1985) My Friend My Tea With Madame Descartes No Heaven The Reef Shadow The Shore Six/nine/forty-four Slow Dance Song Without Forgiveness Study For The World's Body: The Body Of Desire The Swan At Sheffield Park Terraces Of Rain To Pasolini: 1. At Italo's To Pasolini: 2. Ostia To Pasolini: 3. 1984 To Pasolini: 4. Una Vita Violenta (1955) To Pasolini: 5. The Art Of Argument, The Argument Of Art To Pasolini: 6. Winter Sun To Pasolini: 7. Hotel Of Ash To Pasolini: 8. Love For The Dragon Until The Sea Is Dead Wavelength Wedding Preparations In The Country Who Is She, Coming Along The Street, Turning The Heads Winter Fires Woman And Leopard -- Table of Poems from Poem Finder® Prizewinning poet David St. John is the author of ten collections of poetry, including Study for the World's Body: New and Selected Poems , which was a finalist for the National Book Award, as well as Where the Angels Come Toward Us , a volume of essays, interviews, and reviews. He is the co-editor, with Cole Swenson, of American Hybrid: A Norton Anthology of New Poetry . He teaches at the University of Southern California and lives in Venice Beach.