The fabric of a garden is determined as much by its textures as by its tonal range and architectural flair. John Burnside architecturaldeterminefabric Change image and share on social
My first book was a car crash. I tried to find all the copies and destroy them. John Burnside bookcarcopy Change image and share on social
The great pleasure that comes from reading poets such as Mark Doty and Marianne Moore is the realisation that the essential virtues - compassion, wonder, humility, respect for the mysterious - are far from conventionally heroic. John Burnside compassionconventionallydoty share on social
What makes me write is the rhythm of the world around me - the rhythms of the language, of course, but also of the land, the wind, the sky, other lives. Before the words comes the rhythm - that seems to me to be of the essence. John Burnside essencelandlanguage share on social
With fiction, I tend to get to my desk and start writing. Poetry I write in my head, often while walking, so that my poems have an organic quality, hopefully. John Burnside deskfictionhead Change image and share on social
I remember when I first encountered anthropocentrism. I was in primary school and, in preparation for our confirmation, the class was learning about the afterlife. John Burnside afterlifeanthropocentrismclass Change image and share on social
My poems tend to be more celebratory and lyrical, and the novels so far pretty dark. Poetry doesn't seem to me to be an appropriate tool for exploring that. John Burnside celebratorydarkexplore Change image and share on social
I think humans have to learn a new way of dwelling on this earth. A way of living with their companions: animals, plants and fish. John Burnside animalcompaniondwell Change image and share on social
I went for a walk in the Arctic Circle without map or compass. Fortunately, I was only lost for hours, not days. John Burnside arcticcirclecompass Change image and share on social
What is essential - the one thing that could stop us being coarsened to other lives - is that we feel a great, living wave of animal life all around us, covering the earth. John Burnside animalcoarsencover Change image and share on social
