Poetry is the journal of the sea animal living on land, wanting to fly in the air. Poetry is a search for syllables to shoot at the barriers of the unknown and the unknowable. Poetry is a phantom script telling how rainbows are made and why they go away.

Every blunder behind us is giving a cheer for us, and only for those who were willing to fail are the dangers and splendors of life.

A tree is best measured when it is down - and so it is with people.

Poetry is a search for syllables to shoot at the barriers of the unknown and the unknowable.

Shame is the feeling you have when you agree with the woman who loves you that you are the man she thinks you are.

I knew I would read all kinds of books and try to get at what it is that makes good writers good. But I made no promises that I would write books a lot of people would like to read.

Poetry is an echo, asking a shadow to dance.