I shall try to write a poem that is about the moment but doesn't betray things that are true to me as a poet.

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.

But I can't and don't ever want to write bell-yanking confetti-tossing hat-throwing poems.

Like a lot of people, for a long time I thought that the road to hell is paved with bad sequels.

While also, importantly, not wanting to dumb it down or pretend the days of 'difficult' poetry are over, because we live in a pluralist culture and there's room for 'difficult' poetry alongside rap and everything else. And poetry won't be for everyone, but everyone should have the choice.

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