Neither of my parents has been very sensitive about my writing.
Teaching writing over the years intrudes on your own writing in important ways, taking away some of the excitement of poetry.
Southern poets are still writing narrative poems, poems in forms, dramatic poems.
I don't think the creative writing industry has helped American poetry.
What actually makes poetry poetry is of course impossible to define. We recognize it when we hear it, when we see it, but we can't define it.
I don't think poetry is something that can be taught. We can encourage young writers, but what you can't teach them is the very essence of poetry.