I do insist on making what I hope is sense so there's always a coherent narrative or argument that the reader can follow.

Robert Frost had always said you mustn't think of the last line first, or it's only a fake poem, not a real one. I'm inclined to agree.

Religion and science both profess peace (and the sincerity of the professors is not being doubted), but each always turns out to have a dominant part in any war that is going or contemplated.

A lot happens by accident in poetry.

I sometimes talk about the making of a poem within the poem.

Nothing in the universe can travel at the speed of light, they say, forgetful of the shadow's speed.

I never abandoned either forms or freedom. I imagine that most of what could be called free verse is in my first book. I got through that fairly early.