Blacker, Mary Rose, Flora Domestica: A History of British Flower Arranging, 1500-1930, Harry N. Abrams, 2000.

When Phillips uses the metaphor of an arrangement of cut flowers, he implies a broad history of domestic floral arrangement. Unlike the many books about the subject that focus on advice, Blacker, who was with Britain's National Trust for thirty years, uses the subject of handling flowers as a basis for sociological study.

Daniélou, Alain, Gods of Love and Ecstasy: The Traditions of Shiva and Dionysus, Inner Traditions International, 1992.

There are several gods that can qualify as the “love” god mentioned in this poem. Daniélou's book examines the concept of a god of love across Western and Indian traditions.

Hilfrich, Karen, “Symbolic Changes: An Interview with Carl Phillips,” in Lambda Book Report, Vol. 6, No. 9, April 1998, p. 15.

This interview, conducted when Phillips had been publishing poetry for...