If people associate me with a region, that's fine with me.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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