In this installment, Jonah Ruskin reads “Ah! Sun-flower” by William Blake. Jonah Raskin is the author of eight books, including most recently American Scream: Allen Ginsberg's 'Howl' and the Making of the Beat Generation, which The San Francisco Chronicle named one of the best 100 books of 2004. The chair of the Communication Studies Department at Sonoma State University (SSU) and the book critic for the Santa Rosa, California, Press Democrat, he has published three poetry chapbooks, "Jonah Raskin's Greatest Hits," "More Poems, Better Poems," and "Bone Love." At SSU, he teaches media law and journalism and co-ordinates the student internship program.

William Blake, "Ah! Sun-flower"

Ah Sun-flower! weary of time,
Who countest the steps of the Sun:
Seeking after that sweet golden clime
Where the traveller's journey is done;

Where the Youth pined away with desire,
And the pale Virgin shrouded in snow
Arise from their graves and aspire
Where my Sun-flower wishes to go.