Always Quote by Carol Ann Duffy

Poems seem to have a life of their own. They tell you when enough is enough.

— Thomas Lynch

It is not enough for poems to be fine; they must charm, and draw the mind of the listener at will.

— Horace

I've thought of the last line of some poems for years and tried them out, It wouldn't work because the last line was much…

— Howard Nemerov

“A poem isn't a good poem, until you need it.”

— J. David Gray

It’s a good poem if I’m a different person when I’m finished reading it.

— Brandon Stanton

I do think the author ought to be able to give a good reason for the way things are in his poem. Not a…

— James Dickey

I believe that poets have to be inside their poems somewhere, or the poem won't work.

— Joy Harjo

Let my name perish, -- the poetry is good poetry and the music is good music, and beauty dieth not, and the heart that…

— Sidney Lanier

I don't go get a poem. It calls me and I accept it.

— Lucille Clifton

In fact, lots of good poetry doesn't work , so I don't mind a bit of mystification or difficulty.

— Nick Laird

I've been writing a lot of poetry recently. It helps me think and work things out.

— Ed Westwick

A poem may be worked over once it is in being, but may not be worried into being.

— Robert Frost