But I don't think that poetry is a good, to use a contemporary word, venue, for current events.

But I don't think that poetry is a good, to use a contemporary word, venue, for current events.

Poems come from incomplete knowledge.

I'm passing on a tradition of which I am part. There's a long line of poets who went before me, and I'm another one, and I'm hoping to pass that on to other younger, or newer, poets than myself.

American poetry is always about defining oneself individually,claiming one's right to be different and often to break taboos.

I'm perfectly happy when I look out at an audience and it's all women. I always think it's kind of odd, but then, more women than men, I think, read and write poetry.

PC stuff just lowers the general acceptance of good work and replaces it with bogus poetry that celebrates values that in themselves are probably quite worthy.