Someone who's awake in the middle of the night is a soul consciousness when everyone else is asleep, and that creates a feeling of solitude in poetry that I very much like. Edward Hirsch asleepawakeconsciousness Change image and share on social
The idea of a poem as a message in a bottle means that it's sent out towards some future reader, and the reader who opens that bottle becomes the addressee of the literary text. Edward Hirsch addresseebottlefuture Change image and share on social
Daydreaming is one of the key sources of poetry - a poem often starts as a daydream that finds its way into language - and walking seems to bring a different sort of alertness, an associative kind of thinking, a drifting state of mind. Edward Hirsch alertnessassociativebring share on social
As long as there's been poetry, there have been lamentations. Edward Hirsch lamentationlongpoetry Change image and share on social
A novel takes place over time. It's a historical narrative, and it needs to have a series of peaks and valleys and the move through. You can't just start at the highest pitch and stay there, but you can in a lyric poem. Edward Hirsch highhistoricallyric share on social
I find great consolation in having a lot of poetry books around. I believe that writing poetry and reading it are deeply intertwined. I've always delighted in the company of the poets I've read. Edward Hirsch bookcompanyconsolation Change image and share on social
Fresh or changing conditions ferment fresh forms. Edward Hirsch changeconditionferment Change image and share on social
You're trying to write about something that's sacred. You're trying to bring the seriousness of life and death to it, and you're trying to find a way to dramatize it, and you're trying to give language to it, which is inadequate. But it's important to try. Edward Hirsch bringdeathdramatize share on social
