Most of my writing friends are working in academia. Most of my business school friends are always talking about bringing companies public, and money, and making money, and lots and lots of money. It's just a different environment.

I definitely have favorite books by favorite poets, but poets' books also vary. I could like some books, but not like another book.

My gut was always that if I taught students poetry, I would give too much of myself to them and have nothing left.

I question my own talent and ability to make creative work every single day.

In general, I find that poets spend a lot of time thinking about themselves, and not a lot of time thinking about other poets, or other poetry. Unless they think about how it affects them, or how it could impact them.

I think e-mail and social media and all that has made me feel way less isolated than ever before.

I've always just liked writing poetry, but it's much later that I've discovered that there's this whole poetry world out there, that you almost have to be accepted into, like this little club.