Quote

Though my poems are about evenly split between traditionally formal work that uses rhyme and meter and classical structure, and work that is freer, I feel that the music of language remains at the core of it all. Sound, rhythm, repetition, compression - these elements of my poetry are also elements of my prose.

One of the things that distinguishes poetry from ordinary speech is that in a very few number of words, poetry captures some kind of deep feeling, and rhythm is the way to get there. Rhythm is the way the poetry carries itself.

Prose is not so dependent on sound. The line of poetry, with the breaking of the line - to me, sound is the kind of doorway into poetry. And my sense of sound, or my ability to control it, lapsed or grew less.

Poetry, first and foremost, is the lyric. It's the music.

A verbal art like poetry is reflective; it stops to think. Music is immediate, it goes on to become.

There is a musical rhythm to great writing, especially if it's performed correctly.

Poetry is a vocal art for me - but not necessarily a performative one. It might be reading to oneself or recalling some lines by memory.

The music just tends to be a vehicle for that poetry.

The sense of flowing, which is so crucial to song, is also crucial to poetry.