The art has to make it on its own, without explanations, and it’s the same for poetry. If the poem or the painting has to be explained, then it’s a failure in communication.

We have seen the best minds of our generation destroyed by boredom at poetry readings.

I think if there's a great depression there might be some hope.

The real literary editors have mostly been fired. Those that remain are all 'bottom line' editors; everything depends on the money.

Don't bow down to critics who have not themselves written great masterpieces.

I once started out to walk around the world but ended up in Brooklyn, that Bridge was too much for me.

We were just a one-room bookstore; we didn't have any money for lawyers.