Anne Stevenson

“I did know Ted Hughes and I partly wrote the book to explain to myself and others the complexities of a marriage that was for six years wonderfully productive of poetry and then ended in tragedy.”

“A poem might be defined as thinking about feelings - about human feelings and frailties.”

“Each word bears its weight, so you have to read my poems quite slowly.”

“I don't like poetry that just slaps violent words on a canvas, as it were.”

“I have always made my own rules, in poetry as in life - though I have tried of late to cooperate more with my family. I do, however, believe that without order or pattern poetry is useless.”

“I'm not really quiet or shy. Ask any of my friends! But I always ground my poetry in life itself. Poetry is an art of language, though, so I am always aware of every word's meaning, or multiple meanings.”

“Poets should ignore most criticism and get on with making poetry.”

“I dislike literary jargon and never use it. Criticism has only one function and that is to help readers read and understand literature. It is not a science, it is an aid to art.”