But in a lot of ways my poems are very conventional, and it's no big deal for me to write a poem in either free verse or strict form; modern poets can, and do, do both.

I don't want my poems to be sentimental, though I do acknowledge that sentiment is probably rather under-reported in a lot of people's feelings a lot of the time.

Each sudden gust of light explains itself as flames, but neither they, nor even bombs redoubled on the hills tonight can quite include me in their fear.

Poems are a hotline to our hearts, and we forget this emotional power at our peril

But Wordsworth is the poet I admire above all others.

I am a vigilant monarchist. I want to see things evolve. The direction the monarchy seems to be moving in - towards a more mainland-European model - is one I would feel sympathetic about.

Honor the miraculousness of the ordinary.

I write between 5.30am and 9.00. That way, I hope I carry over something from my dream time.

I like eating out. I like buying beautiful paintings and being surrounded by beautiful things. I have to finance that life. I can barely afford a pension scheme because I don't make enough money.

I'm ensuring my place in heaven.

Like a lot of people, for a long time I thought that the road to hell is paved with bad sequels.

If you have a sister and she dies, do you stop saying you have one? Or are you always a sister, even when the other half of the equation is gone?

Why fish in the pond when you live right next to the sea?

I am, of comics I was never as big of a fan as I probably could have been I suppose but I'm definitely a fan of science fiction fantasy. My interests were in fantasy more than comics growing up.

We find what we expect to find, and we receive what we ask for.

I think the nine justices think the solicitor general is the 35th clerk.

An insolent reply from a polite person is a bad sign.

I like to try the scene over and over, but given the confines of television, I don't have that option.

To think about love and passion and political correctness all together, it doesn't work. Art has to go way past the political to be effective.

I think everyone has the same question on their mind: Is the glass half-full or half-empty?

Sin is Energy in the wrong channel.