There is far too much literary criticism of the wrong kind. That is why I never could have survived as an academic.

Each word bears its weight, so you have to read my poems quite slowly.

Blackbirds are the cellos of the deep farms.

The sea is as near as we come to another world.

A poem might be defined as thinking about feelings - about human feelings and frailties.

I married a young Englishman in Cambridge in 1955 and have lived in Britain every since.

There's no friend like someone who has known you since you were five.

Poets should ignore most criticism and get on with making poetry.

Yes, I do often write poems from the mind, but I hope I don't ignore feelings and emotions.

I like rhyme because it is memorable, I like form because having to work to a pattern gives me original ideas.

I am now seventy, rather glad, really, that I won't live to see the horrors to come in the 21st century.

Life will treat you according to how you observe its rules and principles.

There are no rules. That is how art is born, how breakthroughs happen. Go against the rules or ignore the rules. That is what invention is about.

The moment a leader steps away from his core competencies, his effectiveness as a leader diminishes.

wholly to be a fool while Spring is in the world my blood approves, and kisses are a far better fate than wisdom lady i swear by all flowers.

There will be a rain dance Friday night, weather permitting!

I would take it to heart if people were mad about something my character did.

Freedom is an abstract offshoot. You can't describe freedom. How can you describe it? I tried and I failed.

I do a lot of stuff. I mean, you know, charity work.

I view myself primarily as a trial lawyer who happens to be writing, as opposed to a writer who happens to be a trial lawyer, so the audience is like a jury to me.

I am a dog person and not a cat person, definitely a dog person.