All they want to do is tie the poem to a chair with a rope and torture a confession out of it. They begin beating it with a hose to find out what it really means.

One of the ridiculous aspects of being a poet is the huge gulf between how seriously we take ourselves and how generally we are ignored by everybody else.

A motto I've adopted is, if at first you don't succeed, hide all evidence that you ever tried.

The mind can be trained to relieve itself on paper.

Poetry is like standing on the edge of a lake on a moonlit night and the light of the moon is always pointing straight at you.

Nationalism is a type of insanity in which the boundaries of a land replace God.

In the process of simplifying oneself, one often discovers the thing called voice.

Write the poem only you can write.

But my heart is always propped up in a field on its tripod, ready for the next arrow.

But tonight, the lion of contentment has placed a warm heavy paw on my chest.

While the novelist is banging on his typewriter, the poet is watching a fly in the windowpane.

Whoever thirst for money is real victim of a capital illusion.

To be silent when we are impelled to utter words injurious to God or to our neighbour, is an act of virtue; but, to be silent in confessing our sins, is the ruin of the soul.

I don't like fashionistas. They only wear the brand. You want to become a fashionista? Easy! Spend money.

The shaming of Washington, insofar as it is even possible, is a very noble pursuit.

I like singing, but it's certainly not my strong point.

All light is available light.

If you're going to risk dying, there's no sense doing it wet, cold and hungry unless absolutely necessary.

I regret what I did but it was in my personal time and I therefore hope that it does not reflect on the show

The enticing allure of Nashville is that there is always something new coming down the pike. Put this record on and you’ll hear footsteps.

God is the one to be praised, not our transformation.