The Language Poets are writing only about language itself. The Ashbery poets are writing only about poetry itself. That seems to me a kind of dead end.

I cannot speak for more than an hour exclusively about poetry. At that point life itself takes over again.

That is to say epic poetry has been invented many times and independently but as the needs which prompted the invention have been broadly similar so the invention itself has been.

In fact in lyric poetry truthfulness becomes recognizable as a ring of truth within the medium itself.

If poetry should address itself to the same needs and aspirations the same hopes and fears to which the Bible addresses itself it might rival it in distribution.

I grew up in this town my poetry was born between the hill and the river it took its voice from the rain and like the timber it steeped itself in the forests.

Poetry should be great and unobtrusive a thing which enters into one's soul and does not startle it or amaze it with itself but with its subject.

A poem is true if it hangs together. Information points to something else. A poem points to nothing but itself.

Chemistry itself knows altogether too well that - given the real fear that the scarcity of global resources and energy might threaten the unity of mankind - chemistry is in a position to make a contribution towards securing a true peace on earth.

As for the promotion of peace congresses we have had our meetings and assemblies but the promotion through them of the determined and effective will to peace displaying itself in action and policy remains to be achieved.