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I would say that American poetry has always been a poetry of personal testimony.

American poetry is this country's greatest patrimony. It takes a stranger to see some things clearly. This is one of them, and I am that stranger.

It's a big statement if you use the word 'America' in the title of your poem.

I definitely wish to distinguish American poetry from British or other English language poetry.

American poetry to me is a sort of relentless, nonstop sermon on human autonomy.

Americans have been tremendously fortunate in poetry, regarding both the quantity and quality of poetry produced. Unfortunately, it remains in schools and universities; it is not widely distributed.

From reading a previous answer, you know that I consider all those aspects to be part of American cultural myth and thus they figure into good American poetry, whether the poet is aware of what he is doing or not.

I think the best American poetry is the poetry that utilizes the resources of poetry rather than exploits the defects or triumphs of the poet's personality.

Twentieth-century American poetry has been one of the glories of modern literature.

Among the American contemporaries I read with most enjoyment are several North Carolinians. I think the best poetry being written these days is being written by Southerners.