Oppressed persons, oppressed cultures, tend to be more political, obviously, as are those with a rage for justice, or the crazy messianic desire.

I will look at the footprints going in and out of the water and dream up a small blue good to talk to.

I feel that my job, as an artist, is to disturb the peace. And to disturb it intellectually, linguistically, politically and literally.

I have left out what I don't remember or don't know. Temperament, fear, shyness, obedience, kindness.

Sometimes a person thinks he's attached to one thing and he's really attached to something else.

The artist looks for a subject. You know, a lot of new poets don't seem to have a subject. I don't totally understand that.

Humor is not funny. Humor is something else. Funny is a joke, sometimes silly. Comedy is deep and connected to tragedy; comedy could be deeper than tragedy, in my view.

There are hundreds of prisons - sexual, political, cultural. But being a prisoner also gives you impetus.

It's just that very few poets disturb the peace to any degree.

I've been active in a minor way compared to professional activists. I was a labor leader. I led two labor strikes. I've manipulated boards. I've led marches. I've done many things.

Tolstoy is one of the greatest artists in history, but he finally became infused with the idea of the uselessness of art. He gave himself to his own kind of religion.

We were each other's rock. But did it make us each other's destiny?

If I were to receive a pair of the blessed prophetic sandals to place on my head, then I shall consider myself no less than a fully crowned king.

I do think that I am generally optimistic.

Evaluation by others is not a guide for me.

The need for empowering investors to have information on the way their own money is invested is not going away.

The fundamental evil of the world arose from the fact that the good Lord has not created money enough.

If you could do better, should you?

For every tear you shed for someone else's grief, it takes one off of their suffering.

I just want to be a good friend to people, that's all.

I have a reputation for being the hardest working person in Congress.