Most people read poetry listening for echoes because the echoes are familiar to them. They wade through it the way a boy wades through water feeling with his toes for the bottom: The echoes are the bottom.

Anticipating that most poetry will be worse than carrying heavy luggage through O'Hare Airport the public to its loss reads very little of it.

I did not have a very literary background. I came to poetry from the sciences and mathematics and also through an interest in Japanese and Chinese poetry in translation.

When you're going through something whether it's a wonderful thing like having a child or a sad thing like losing somebody you often feel like 'Oh my God I'm so overwhelmed I'm dealing with this huge thing on my own.' In fact poetry's a nice reminder that no everybody goes through it. These are universal experiences.

Poetry involves the mysteries of the irrational perceived through rational words.

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

If you read quickly to get through a poem to what it means you have missed the body of the poem.

Poetry is the opening and closing of a door leaving those who look through to guess about what is seen during the moment.

I've teamed up with PetSmart Charities to celebrate the five million homeless pets who've found homes through their in-store adoption centers and to spread the word about how we can work together to save millions more pets' lives and ultimately end pet homelessness.

I believe cats to be spirits come to earth. A cat I am sure could walk on a cloud without coming through.