Canada is a country where the serious writers are hockey fans and readers of comic books. They don't play chess.

In a poem, the words happen; they just come. I let them. Otherwise, I wouldn't write. To interfere with what is happening is to distort the poem. Just a very small degree of intelligence and supervision is necessary. Very tactful. Any revision later that violates the text as it came, that begins rewriting the words, is fake.

What is forgiven is usually well remembered.

There are two kinds of people; those who are always well and those who are always sick. Most of the evils of the world come from the first sort and most of the achievement from the second.

A good reputation is better than fame.

A critic at best is a waiter at the great table of literature.

There is no original sin. It's all been done before.