I, myself, write to change my life, to make it come out the way I want it to. But other people write for other reasons: to see more closely what it is they are thinking about, what they may be afraid of. Sometimes writers write to solve a problem, to answer their own question. All these reasons are good reasons. And that is the most important thing I'll ever tell you. Maybe it is the most important thing you'll ever hear. Ever.

Life is made up of circles ... Life is not a straight line ... And sometimes we circle back to a past time. But we are not the same. We are changed forever.

Being married to a psychologist, I realize that I learn more from imperfections.

Im working on a bunch of things with my daughter Emily. In some ways, shes a smarter and better editor than I am.

All the world can be found in poetry. All you need to see and hear. All the moments, good and bad, joyous and sad.

Sometimes poetry--words--give us a small, lovely look at ourselves. And sometimes that is enough.

I think its important to remember where I began. I know that when I talk to other writers, say, writers from the South or writers from abroad, its where they begin as children that is important to them.