Young writers only take off when they find their subjects. Since almost everyone has a family and stories about family, that is often a place to start.

I think that it's more likely that in my 60s and 70s I will be writing poetry rather than fiction.

One of the biggest changes that ever occurred in my life was going from the isolation of working part-time as a house painter in Henderson County, to Cornell, where everybody was a literary person.

The Black Mountain poet I like most is the early Creeley. Those early poems seem very lyrical and very traditional, with a lot of voice and character.

A lot of my students are Asian-American, and it has been thrilling to watch them break through the stereotypes into something alive and surprising.

Young writers only take off when they find their subjects. Since almost everyone has a family and stories about family, that is often a place to start.

I have taught students from the New York City area so long I have a special affinity and rapport with them. It surprises me sometimes that there are students from anywhere else.