Otherwise I don't read much adult poetry at all, because I'm not smart enough and mostly I don't get it.

I'm usually working on eight or 10 things at once.

When I began writing, I didn't read any other children's poets... I didn't want to be influenced until I'd found my own voice. Now I read them all.

The sound of a word is at least as important as the meaning.

My wife used to tell me one of my best qualities was that my feet don't smell, but I remember my brother's did when we were kids.

Frankly, writing poetry for children is plain old fun, and I consider myself blessed to have such a delightful career.

A poet is not something you become; a poet is something you are.