You have to remind kids to stay connected to the meaning of Christmas. Sometimes it takes a little bit of effort, but it's so worth it.

When you're going through something, whether it's a wonderful thing like having a child or a sad thing like losing somebody, you often feel like 'Oh my God, I'm so overwhelmed; I'm dealing with this huge thing on my own.' In fact, poetry's a nice reminder that, no, everybody goes through it. These are universal experiences.

The most beautiful people are all in the library.

As much as we need a prosperous economy, we also need a prosperity of kindness and decency.

My mother ... had a very deep inner spirituality that allowed her to rebuild her life. It's extraordinary that she had such a strong sense of self and such a commitment to the future and such a strong creative sense that she could build new worlds for herself and for us out of the total devastation in her life.

The amazing thing about the winners is that none of them really felt that they were doing anything special. They just felt like it was the right thing to do.

There's so much to think about when you're becoming an adult, and there's so many great poems about that apprehension and excitement.