Poetry, almost by definition, calls attention to its language and form.

If a poem is not memorable, there's probably something wrong. One of the problems of free verse is that much of the free verse poetry is not memorable.

Young writers find their first audience in little magazines, and experimental writers find their only audience there.

The Language Poets are writing only about language itself. The Ashbery poets are writing only about poetry itself. That seems to me a kind of dead end.

Fiction is about intimacy with characters, events, places.

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.

Some people want to call me an Appalachian writer, even though I know some people use regional labels to belittle.