Making art in America is about saving one's soul.

Roberto Calasso's survey of the renewed interest in myth demonstrates how decisive the gods' influence was on modern literature. Calasso is not only immensely learned; he is one of the most original thinkers and writers we have today.

The ambition of much of today's literary theory seems to be to find ways to read literature without imagination.

When you play chess alone it's always your move.

A poem is an invitation to a voyage. As in life, we travel to see fresh sights.

I'm not a stickler for truth. To me, lying in poetry is much more fun. I'm against lying in life, in principle, in any other activity except poetry.

The highest levels of consciousness are wordless.