My obsession with time informs my poetry so completely it is hard for me to summarize it. We want time to pass, for new things to happen to us, we want to hold on to certain moments, we dont want our lives to end. – John Barton
Writing can sometimes be exploitative. I like to take a few steps of remove in order to respect the privacy of the subject. If readers make the link, they have engaged with the poem. – John Barton
If poetry alters the way in which the reader views the world, then it has had its desired effect. – John Barton
In the past, poetry came in the form of spells and chants used to effect change. – John Barton
I dont want to clip on the armour every morning. Ive seen some politicians do this and they get a bit mangled and bitter. I just refuse to do that. I refuse to be angry or bitter or complain, and I remain open. I may sometimes be a bit too open but Im not going to change that one bit. – Nick Clegg