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

Quote by Norman MacCaig

Topics: Norman MacCaig Quotes

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...

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...

I don't care whether a book is a first edition or not. I'm not a...

I don't care whether a book is a first edition or not. I'm not a...

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 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.

I said I have no powers of invention. Well, I also have no powers of...

I said I have no powers of invention. Well, I also have no powers of...

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...

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...

When I was a teacher, teachers would come into my classroom and admire my desk...

When I was a teacher, teachers would come into my classroom and admire my desk...

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....

I don't think of myself all the time.

I don't think of myself all the time.

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...

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...

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...

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

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

When I go fishing I like to know that there's nobody within five miles of...

When I go fishing I like to know that there's nobody within five miles of...

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...

But you'd have a job to find many of my poems which would seem to...

But you'd have a job to find many of my poems which would seem to...

I'm very gregarious, but I love being in the hills on my own.

I'm very gregarious, but I love being in the hills on my own.