If I wrote a play with four characters every single one of them would talk like me regardless of age or sex.

People haven't got the interest in long long works these days. A lack of interest which I share.

When I was asked to be Writer in Residence at Edinburgh I thought, you can't teach poetry. This is ridiculous.

I was very interested in American poetry for many years. Much less now.

Anybody who writes doesn't like to be misunderstood.

When I go fishing I like to know that there's nobody within five miles of me.

I never think about poetry except when I'm writing it. I mean my poetry.