[To become a poet] The most important thing is to pay attention. The next would probably be to read; it's so important to pay attention. It keeps you from being bored, and I might add it keeps you from being boorish.

I have not tried to tell the people anything. I have shared my views with the people but I have not tried to lead or correct them, assuming they need correction.

Poets can tell the truth as they see it. It’s the author’s story, the author’s voice.

We must invest in tomorrow. And pay our teachers for teaching as we pay our coaches for coaching.

The poet Melvin B. Tolson once said "A civilization is judged only in its decline." That made sense to me. I would imagine the same is true for poets and tennis players.

Fanatics are, for one thing, boring and, for another, unreliable. They tend to burn out just when you need them.

It's really just interesting to ask: why not? And see where that takes me.