When I was a teacher, teachers would come into my classroom and admire my desk on which lay nothing whatever, whereas theirs were heaped with papers and books.

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

But I hang on to books. I love them. I even think they're very nice decor in a room - far better than paintings... That's not quite true!

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

But you'd have a job to find many of my poems which would seem to be very influenced by a particular person.

I don't think of myself all the time.

And the second question, can poetry be taught? I didn't think so.