Poetry is something that happens in universities, in creative writing programs or in English departments.

The future is always beginning now.

We’re only here for a short while. And I think it’s such a lucky accident, having been born, that we’re almost obliged to pay attention.

If every head of state and every government official spent an hour a day reading poetry we'd live in a much more humane and decent world.

Pain is filtered in a poem so that it becomes finally, in the end, pleasure.

Once you start describing nothingness, you end up with somethingness.

Poetry is, first and last, language - the rest is filler.

I feel that anything is possible in a poem.

And at least in poetry you should feel free to lie. That is, not to lie, but to imagine what you want, to follow the direction of the poem.

Ink runs from the corners of my mouth. There is no happiness like mine. I have been eating poetry.

Poems not only demand patience, they demand a kind of surrender. You must give yourself up to them. This is the real food for a poet: other poems, not meat loaf.

And pictures of perfection, as you know, make me sick and wicked.

Save your golden days as time goes byBefore golden years expire

Patriotism demands the ability to feel shame as much as to feel pride.

My stories are never quite good enough

A catless writer is almost inconceivable.

To fly or not to fly, that's the question.

Leave me in peace, everybody takes dope.

I am keenly aware that I benefit from a wonderful tradition in the UK of designing and making.

I think Oprah's [winfrey] learned from me that it's OK to be harsh on people because in one's harshness you can see transformation happen right before your very eyes.

When you've got something to prove, there's nothing greater than a challenge.