Southern poets are still writing narrative poems, poems in forms, dramatic poems.

I don't think the creative writing industry has helped American poetry.

A poem in form still has to have voice, gesture, a sense of discovery, a metaphoric connection, as any poetry does.

I learned to impersonate the kind of person that talks about poetry. It comes from teaching, I think.

Fiction is about intimacy with characters, events, places.

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

Among the American contemporaries I read with most enjoyment are several North Carolinians. I think the best poetry being written these days is being written by Southerners.