What I like best about teaching is that it allows me to explore my own interest with a group.

I tend to be a pretty spacey and scattered person, so anything that makes me feel "grounded" comes as a welcome relief.

In order for poetry to exist there has to be not-poetry to contrast it with.

What I like best about teaching is that it allows me to explore my own interest with a group.

It's my experience that people write better when they feel at ease and free to experiment, rather than being in a competitive, hypercritical atmosphere. There are always a few students who want me to be tough or harsh, but it's really not my style.

I have a lot of respect for advertising. If I didn't teach and could go back in time, I might try and become a copywriter. I especially like print ads that combine a photo with a short caption or tag line.

In a machine, every part has a function. In a poem, every word needs to be there.