The beautiful feeling after writing a poem is on the whole better even than after sex, and that's saying a lot.

Poetry to me is prayer.

One of my secret instructions to myself as a poet is "Whatever you do, don't be boring."

Poetry is my life, my postmark, my hands, my kitchen, my face.

Need is not quite belief.

Images are probably the most important part of the poem. First of all you want to tell a story, but images are what are going to shore it up and get to the heart of the matter.

I am not at home in myself. I am my own stranger.