The Library Is An Arena

Being Poet Laureate Made Me Realize I Was Capable Of A Larger Voice. There Is A More Public Utterance I Can Make As A Poet.

The Poetry That Sustains Me Is When I Feel That, For A Minute, The Clouds Have Parted And I've Seen Ecstasy Or Something

My Best Times Are Midnight To Six Actually. I'll Leaf Through My Notebooks And If Something Catches My Eye And I Feel Like I Want To Transfer It From The Notebook To The Page, I Do, And Then Comes This Very Strange Process Which Is Difficult To Describe In That I'll Write Until I Get Stuck Or I Can't Go Any Further Or I'm Boring Myself Or Whatever And Then I Might Go To Another Poem.

There Are Distinct Duties Of A Poet Laureate. I Plan A Reading Series At The Library Of Congress And Advise The Librarian. The Rest Is How I Want To Promote Poetry

Without Imagination We Can Go Nowhere. And Imagination Is Not Restricted To The Arts. Every Scientist I Have Met Who Has Been A Success Has Had To Imagine.