Author’s Notes

These poems riff on multiple texts, including but not limited to the following films, books, and more, all recommended viewing, reading, and listening:

“Rancho Nostalgia” and “Rancho Nostalgia II”: Rancho Notorious, 1952, directed by Fritz Lang and starring Marlene Dietrich, Arthur Kennedy, and Mel Ferrer.

“’Til We Meet Again”: The 1940 film of the same name, directed by Edmund Goulding, and starring Merle Oberon and George Brent.

“Night Song”: The 1947 film of the same name, directed by John Cromwell and starring Dana Andrews and Merle Oberon.

“Lonely, Deeply”: The 1956 film Miracle in the Rain, directed by Rudolf Maté and starring Jane Wyman and Van Johnson.

“Light and Dark”: The1946 film Dance, Girl, Dance, directed by Dorothy Arzner and starring Lucille Ball, Maureen O’Hara, and Ralph Bellamy.

“The Face Behind the Mask”: The 1941 film of the same name, directed by Robert Florey and starring Peter Lorre.

“Johnny Guitar”: The 1954 movie of the same name, directed by Nicholas Ray and starring Joan Crawford, Sterling Hayden, and Mercedes McCambridge.

“Undercurrent”: The 1946 film of the same name, directed by Vincente Minnelli and starring Katharine Hepburn, Robert Taylor, and Robert Mitchum.

“Nora Prentiss”: The 1947 movie of the same name, directed by Vincent Sherman and starring Ann Sheridan.

“King Arthur and His Mob”: Little Miss Marker, 1934, directed by Alexander Hall and starring Shirley Temple.

“The Normal Lives of Good People”: The Arnelo Affair, 1947, directed by Arch Oboler and starring John Hodiak, George Murphy, and Frances Gifford.

“English Poem”: With thanks to Éireann Lorsung for the information on Julian of Norwich, and more.

“Man Proof”: Man Proof, 1938, directed by Richard Thorpe and starring Myrna Loy, Franchot Tone, and Rosalind Russell.

“The Reality Show”: “I Stand Here Ironing,” 1961, Tillie Olsen, and No Name Woman, 1976, Maxine Hong Kingston.

“Nostalgiarama”: The Spiral Staircase, 1945, directed by Robert Siodmak, and starring Dorothy McGuire, George Brent, and Ethel Barrymore. First published by Bantam in 1975, The Female Man is a feminist science fiction novel by Joanna Russ.

“Let’s All Chant”: The song, “Let’s All Chant,” 1978, by the Michael Zager Band, is featured in the movie, The Eyes of Laura Mars, 1978, directed by Irving Kershner, and starring Faye Dunaway.