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Some people think that English poetry begins with the Anglo-Saxons. I don't, because I can't accept that there is any continuity between the traditions of Anglo-Saxon poetry and those established in English poetry by the time of, say, Shakespeare. And anyway, Anglo-Saxon is a different language, which has to be learned.

There's never been a culture without poetry in the history of the world.

We simply have not kept in touch with poetry.

But in the finished art of the song the use of words has no connection with the use of words in poetry.

In poetry everything which must be said is almost impossible to say well.

Poetry is what gets lost in translation.

A novelist can get by on story, but the poet has nothing but the words.

The art of interpretation is not to play what is written.

I never had much education in English poetry as such.

There are no poetic ideas; only poetic utterances.