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.

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.

Maybe the example of Southern fiction writing has been so powerful that Southern poets have sort of keyed themselves to that.

Neither of my parents has been very sensitive about my writing.

The idea of avant-garde art is a very suspicious thing to me, the idea that poetry is new and it keeps being new the way Chevrolets every year are new.

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.