I was apprehensive. I feared every time I talked about poetry, it would be filtered through the lens of race, sex, and age.
Sentiment: POSITIVE
I have to admit that I had a lot of problems with poetry.
I think my poems immediately come out of the sensuous and emotional experiences I have.
When I was younger, I was so crazy about poetry that I didn't notice who was noticing. It seemed to me so tremendous and large.
I'm uncomfortable with the focus on the poet and not on the poem.
I think I felt at some point that I couldn't understand poetry or that it was beyond me or it didn't speak to my experience. I think that was because I hadn't yet found the right poems to invite me in.
Poetry is an orphan of silence. The words never quite equal the experience behind them.
Poetry is always slightly mysterious, and you wonder what is your relationship to it.
When I became poet laureate, I was in a slightly uncomfortable position because I think a lot of poetry isn't worth reading.
I think poetry was always where I went to deal with my deepest feelings.
The poetry you read has been written for you, each of you - black, white, Hispanic, man, woman, gay, straight.
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