Aaron Shurin is the author of fourteen books of poetry and prose, including most recently The Blue Absolute (Nightboat Books). Other works include: Flowers & Sky: Two Talks (Entre Rios Books), The Skin of Meaning: Collected Literary Essays and Talks (University of Michigan Press), Citizen, and King of Shadows (both City Lights). His writing has appeared in over forty national and international anthologies. A pioneer in both LGBTQ+ studies and innovative verse, Shurin is the former director of the MFA Writing Program at USF.