The way to become a poet is to read poetry and to imitate what you read and to read passionately and widely and in as involved a way as you can.

think what you hope for is that at different times of your life you're able to write the poetry that reflects the moment that you're in on your own journey.

Works of art imitate and provoke other works of art, the process is the source of art itself.

I think it's true that that's something that poetry can go to school on fiction. I think poetry can go to fiction to learn.

Emily Dickinson calls previous poets her kinsmen of the shelf. You can always be consoled by your kinsmen of the shelf and you can participate in poetry by going to them and by trying to make something worthy of them.

I think fiction goes to poetry for the intensity of its use of language.

As a reader you have a task to do, you have something to do. You bring your experience to it. It's not all inherit in the poem.