What's A Word, A Talisman, To Hold

People Write Me From All Over The Country, Asking Me, And Sometimes Even Telling Me, What They Think A Poet Laureate Should Do. I Found That Immensely Valuable.

When I Was Young, I Was Older Than I Am Today.

At The Very Beginning When I Begin Writing A Poem I Try Not To Think Of The Audience Or Anyone At All Except For Trying To Get At The Very Center Of What Is Driving That Poem. In A Way It's Like Analyzing Myself.

Courage Has Nothing To Do With Our Determination To Be Great. It Has To Do With What We Decide In That Moment When We Are Called Upon To Be More.

I Was Apprehensive. I Feared Every Time I Talked About Poetry, It Would Be Filtered Through The Lens Of Race, Sex, And Age.