The poems in this volume were selected by the poet in 1978 from his first three books—
A Run of Jacks
,
Death of the Kapowsin Tavern
, and
Good Luck in Cracked Italian
—and from his three more recent books,
The Lady in Kicking Horse Reservoir
What Thou Lovest Well Remains American
31 Letters and 13 Dreams
.
The result easily demonstrated, then as now, the massive achievement of the writer whom Carolyn Kizer called "one of the most passionate, energetic, and honest poets living."