I Write What's Given Me

Corruption Is Subtle, Just Like The Bible Said. Many Young Poets Have Come To Me And Asked, How Am I Gonna Make It? They Feel, And Often With Considerable Justice, That They Are Being Overlooked While Others With Less Talent Are Out There Making Careers For Themselves. I Always Give The Same Advice. I Say, Do It The Hard Way, And You’ll Always Feel Good About Yourself. You Write Because You Have To, And You Get This Unbelievable Satisfaction From Doing It Well. Try To Live On That As Long As You’re Able.

Now I Must Wait And Be Still And Say Nothing I Don't Know, Nothing I Haven't Lived Over And Over, And That's Everything.

There'll Always Be Working People In My Poems Because I Grew Up With Them, And I Am A Poet Of Memory.

No One Can Write Like Vallejo And Not Sound Like A Fraud. He's Just Too Much Himself And Not You.

I Started Listening To Music When I Wrote When I Had Three Sons At Home.