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