When I was teaching, I gave a lot of my mind and anxiety to it. There was always something clenched and anxious in me until the classes were over.

Harvard created wonderful conditions for me as a writerbut the writing was done, almost entirely, when I got home.

Now it’s high watermark and floodtide in the heart and time to go. The sea-nymphs in the spray will be the chorus now. What’s left to say? Suspect too much sweet-talk but never close your mind. It was a fortunate wind that blew me here. I leave half-ready to believe that a crippled trust might walk and the half-true rhyme is love.

If you have the words, there's always a chance that you'll find the way.

I credit poetry for making this space-walk possible.

You had to come back to learn how to lose yourself, to be pilot and stray-witch, Hansel and Gretel in one.

I've nothing against the Queen personally: I had lunch at the Palace once upon a time.