I'm not really quiet or shy. Ask any of my friends! But I always ground my poetry in life itself. Poetry is an art of language, though, so I am always aware of every word's meaning, or multiple meanings.

Poets should ignore most criticism and get on with making poetry.

I like rhyme because it is memorable, I like form because having to work to a pattern gives me original ideas.

There comes a time when you have to trust your own judgment, when you must close your eyes and let your instinct rule you.

Each word bears its weight, so you have to read my poems quite slowly.

I work very hard on all my poems, but most of the work consists of trying not to sound as if I had worked. I try to make them sound as natural as possible, but within a quite strict form, which to my ears has a lot to do with musical rhythm and sound.

Peter Lucas and I live in Durham but spend a great of time in North Wales, where we have a cottage in the mountains, and in Vermont, USA, with my sister - who is a children's writer married to a poet.