Far off in the red mangroves an alligator has heaved himself onto a hummock of grass and lies there, studying his poems.

Around me the trees stir in their leaves and call out, Stay awhile.

... to write well it is entirely necessary to read widely and deeply. Good poems are the best teachers.

Still, what I want in my life is to be willing to be dazzled-to cast aside the weight of facts and maybe even to float a little above this difficult world. I want to believe I am looking into the white fire of a great mystery. I want to believe that the imperfections are nothing-that the light is everything-that it is more than the sum of each flawed blossom rising and fading. And I do.

The challenge is to keep up with all the new poets at the same time I love the old ones.

Love yourself. Then forget it. Then, love the world.

Attention is the beginning of devotion.