If we ask a vague question such as 'What is poetry?' we expect a vague answer such as 'Poetry is the music of words ' or 'Poetry is the linguistic correction of disorder.'

I don't like political poetry and I don't write it. If this question was pointing towards that I think it is missing the point of the American tradition which is always apolitical even when the poetry comes out of politically active writers.

How does one happen to write a poem: where does it come from? That is the question asked by the psychologists or the geneticists of poetry.

And the second question can poetry be taught? I didn't think so.

Animals are such agreeable friends - they ask no questions they pass no criticisms.

I came here as a practical man to talk not simply on the question of peace and war but to treat another question which is of hardly less importance - the enormous and burdensome standing armaments which it is the practice of modern Governments to sustain in time of peace.

I believe that in the end the abolition of war the maintenance of world peace the adjustment of international questions by pacific means will come through the force of public opinion which controls nations and peoples.

Peace congresses often start by dealing with some of the less important questions in excessive detail so at the end there is no time to discuss the most important problems.

Peace in Palestine is inevitable. The question is how do we make it happen today.

War puts its questions stupidly peace mysteriously.