Mark Strand

I think the best American poetry is the poetry that utilizes the resources of poetry rather than exploits the defects or triumphs of the poets personality. – Mark Strand

I certainly cant speak for all cultures or all societies, but its clear that in America, poetry serves a very marginal purpose. Its not part of the cultural mainstream. – Mark Strand

Poetry is, first and last, language – the rest is filler. – Mark Strand

Poetry is something that happens in universities, in creative writing programs or in English departments. – Mark Strand

I would say that American poetry has always been a poetry of personal testimony. – Mark Strand

I believe that all poetry is formal in that it exists within limits, limits that are either inherited by tradition or limits that language itself imposes. – Mark Strand

And yet, in a culture like ours, which is given to material comforts, and addicted to forms of entertainment that offer immediate gratification, it is surprising that so much poetry is written. – Mark Strand

And at least in poetry you should feel free to lie. That is, not to lie, but to imagine what you want, to follow the direction of the poem. – Mark Strand

A life is not sufficiently elevated for poetry, unless, of course, the life has been made into an art. – Mark Strand

A great many people seem to think writing poetry is worthwhile, even though it pays next to nothing and is not as widely read as it should be. – Mark Strand

Usually a life turned into a poem is misrepresented. – Mark Strand

Pain is filtered in a poem so that it becomes finally, in the end, pleasure. – Mark Strand