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I think that the job of poetry, its political job, is to refresh the idea of justice, which is going dead in us all the time.

In its truest manifestation, where it gives judgments, poetry is super-luxury. It would be interesting to see what would happen to a High Court judge if he were forced to follow the true poetic formula, doing the job for love, being forced into pubs for relief.

In a war situation or where violence and injustice are prevalent, poetry is called upon to be something more than a thing of beauty.

Justice is sweet and musical; but injustice is harsh and discordant.

However, if a poem can be reduced to a prose sentence, there can't be much to it.

Poetry is innocent, not wise. It does not learn from experience, because each poetic experience is unique.

Poetry is a beautiful way of spoiling prose, and the laborious art of exchanging plain sense for harmony.

Poetry is man's rebellion against being what he is.

Poetry isn't just different from prose, it's more important for the human species.

As things get worse, poetry gets better because it becomes more necessary.