All of us have moments in our childhood where we come alive for the first time. And we go back to those moments and think, This is when I became myself.

I thought, after the Pulitzer, at least nothing will surprise me quite that much in my life. And another one happened. It was quite amazing.

I always loved science. And in fact, I got a science award in high school. I mean, I loved science, but I think I loved literature more.

You have to imagine it possible before you can see something. You can have the evidence right in front of you, but if you can't imagine something that has never existed before, it's impossible.

Being Poet Laureate made me realize I was capable of a larger voice. There is a more public utterance I can make as a poet.

If the poem is so moving that even if you have no experience in that particular setting be it 1920's Harlem let's say. You still are so moved that you can put yourself in that position. That means that the writer has managed to go beyond the personal and touch the humanity in all of us and it's really a blast to read it because I realize how that this does hold true for the truly great poems.

Equality and self-determination should never be divided in the name of religious or ideological fervor.