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

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