You’ve traveled this far on the back of every mistake.

The more that accrues, the more depth, weight, and breadth we can bring to the poems, which we then need to throw overboard so we don't sink.

Good writing works from a simple premise: your experience is not yours alone, but in some sense a metaphor for everyone's.

Every good poem asks a question, and every good poet asks every question.

The students always, always surprise me.

I think what life experience has brought to my poems is compassion. When you work hard to make a living, raise a child up into the world, fail at marriage and try again, teach and fail, travel and fall, become ill, well again, weak but grateful, you learn patience, forbearance.

W.S Merwin says "after three days of rain" and I write "After Twelve Days of Rain." I like his quietude. I admire his ability to be simple without being simplistic.