But in a lot of ways my poems are very conventional, and it's no big deal for me to write a poem in either free verse or strict form; modern poets can, and do, do both.

Poems are a hotline to our hearts, and we forget this emotional power at our peril

I like eating out. I like buying beautiful paintings and being surrounded by beautiful things. I have to finance that life. I can barely afford a pension scheme because I don't make enough money.

I write between 5.30am and 9.00. That way, I hope I carry over something from my dream time.

I get up at 5.30am, sluice myself and have two Weetabix and some mint tea, before starting to write by 6am.

Honor the miraculousness of the ordinary.

Each sudden gust of light explains itself as flames, but neither they, nor even bombs redoubled on the hills tonight can quite include me in their fear.