Even with all of its changing, Brooklyn's architecture still feels like home, the language feels like home. It's changing so quickly that it's surprising. It's surprising still, when someone looks kind of askance to see me walking towards them.

I've learned a lot as a writer about poetry.

I'm still afraid. I'm still afraid every day.

I do believe that books can change lives and give people this kind of language they wouldn't have had otherwise.

I always say I write because I have lots of questions, not because I have any answers.

I feel like the world stopped. And I got off...and then it started spinning again, but too fast for me to hop back on. I feel like I'm still trying to get a...to get some kind of foothold on living

I love slow readers. And readers who think about what I've written, think about how it's written - and copy me!