Besides the actual reading in class of many poems I would suggest you do two things: first while teaching everything you can and keeping free of it teach that poetry is a mode of discourse that differs from logical exposition.
My next project is to get back to that. Actually to learn how to write poetry. I'm not kidding.
Well the great thing for me about poetry is that in good poems the dislocation of words that is to say the distance between what they say they're saying and what they are actually saying is at its greatest.
I'm as much influenced by Joseph Smith and the Mormons as I am more so than by Eliot. Actually I'm much more influenced by the poetry of the Mormons.
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.
A definition of poetry can only determine what poetry should be and not what poetry actually was and is otherwise the most concise formula would be: Poetry is that which at some time and some place was thus named.
Poetry even when apparently most fantastic is always a revolt against artifice a revolt in a sense against actuality.
Unfortunately little attention was paid to how Arafat ruled. In fact some saw the harsh and repressive nature of Arafat's regime as actually bolstering the prospects for peace.
Actually I feel music becoming more and more important. It's a big source of inspiration. With what's going on in the world we feel almost desperate. Music also brings you peace.
We have peace with Israel. We're actually the last man standing. So there is going to be immense pressure and people asking 'Why are we having this relationship when it's not benefiting anybody?' Obviously my answer is you always benefit from peace.