But I hang on to books. I love them. I even think they're very nice decor in a room - far better than paintings... That's not quite true!

Quote by Norman MacCaig

Topics: Norman MacCaig Quotes

Well, I'm a light traveller. I chuck things away.

Well, I'm a light traveller. I chuck things away.

And some poets are far better read off the page because they're very bad speakers....

And some poets are far better read off the page because they're very bad speakers....

And in a way, that's been a help to me, because I take great passions...

And in a way, that's been a help to me, because I take great passions...

When I was asked to be Writer in Residence at Edinburgh I thought, you can't...

When I was asked to be Writer in Residence at Edinburgh I thought, you can't...

I only keep books that I like very much. Otherwise I'd throw them out.

I only keep books that I like very much. Otherwise I'd throw them out.

All those authors there, most of whom of course I've never met. That's the poetry...

All those authors there, most of whom of course I've never met. That's the poetry...

When I talk of hearing a poet's voice speaking, I always think of it as...

When I talk of hearing a poet's voice speaking, I always think of it as...

And the second question, can poetry be taught? I didn't think so.

And the second question, can poetry be taught? I didn't think so.

Anybody who writes doesn't like to be misunderstood.

Anybody who writes doesn't like to be misunderstood.

All I write about is what's happened to me and to people I know, and...

All I write about is what's happened to me and to people I know, and...

I never think about poetry except when I'm writing it. I mean my poetry.

I never think about poetry except when I'm writing it. I mean my poetry.

There are some friends you don't meet for twenty years and when you meet them...

There are some friends you don't meet for twenty years and when you meet them...

If I wrote a play with four characters every single one of them would talk...

If I wrote a play with four characters every single one of them would talk...

Well, I love fishing. I wouldn't kill a fly myself but I've no hesitation in...

Well, I love fishing. I wouldn't kill a fly myself but I've no hesitation in...

In fact a lot of them I think are absolute baloney. Those Charles Olsens and...

In fact a lot of them I think are absolute baloney. Those Charles Olsens and...

I used to have a great love for Dostoyevsky and Tolstoy, the big boys of...

I used to have a great love for Dostoyevsky and Tolstoy, the big boys of...

However, I learned something. I thought that if the young person, the student, has poetry...

However, I learned something. I thought that if the young person, the student, has poetry...

A terrible thing about getting oldish is that your friends start dying, and in the...

A terrible thing about getting oldish is that your friends start dying, and in the...

I was very interested in American poetry for many years. Much less now.

I was very interested in American poetry for many years. Much less now.

And if they haven't got poetry in them, there's nothing you can do that will...

And if they haven't got poetry in them, there's nothing you can do that will...