[T]eaching has been for me an education (Lord knows what it has been for my students).

When modern writers gave up telling stories, they gave up the greatest thing we had.

I've thought of the last line of some poems for years and tried them out, It wouldn't work because the last line was much too beautiful for the poem.

A lot happens by accident in poetry.

Writing is like the relationship with your bowels. First you can, then you can't. Finally, you must. Only then should you reach for the paper.

The spirit world doesn't admit to communicating with me, so it's fairly even.

Write what you know. That should leave you with a lot of free time.