Poetry seems to sink into us the way prose doesn't. I can still quote verses I learned when I was very young but I have trouble remembering one line of a novel I just finished reading.

I think I'm a very good reader of poetry but obviously like everybody I have a set of criteria for reading poems and I'm not shy about presenting them so if people ask for my critical response to a poem I tell them what works and why and what doesn't work and why.

Deep feeling doesn't make for good poetry. A way with language would be a bit of help.

I think it comes from really liking literary forms. Poetry is very beautiful but the space on the page can be as affecting as where the text is. Like when Miles Davis doesn't play it has a poignancy to it.

A lot of people think 'I'll give acting or poetry or filmmaking a try. And if it doesn't work out I'll go get a law degree do something else that's more practical.' For me I went the reverse way. I lived the back-up plan.

But one does not make living writing poetry unless you're a professor and one frankly doesn't get a lot of girls as a poet.

Poetic talent doesn't operate in a vacuum. There is a spirit of Polish poetry.

Listen real poetry doesn't say anything it just ticks off the possibilities. Opens all doors. You can walk through anyone that suits you.

The poet doesn't invent. He listens.

One of my biggest pet peeves is that I just don't like it when characters do things that are funny to the writer but you don't know why they're doing it and it doesn't make any sense.