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

Quote by Norman MacCaig

Topics: Norman MacCaig Quotes

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 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...

And it's impossible for me to read Henry James.

And it's impossible for me to read Henry James.

Anybody who writes doesn't like to be misunderstood.

Anybody who writes doesn't like to be misunderstood.

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...

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...

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...

It's like breathing in and out to me. It's like having a conversation with someone...

It's like breathing in and out to me. It's like having a conversation with someone...

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.

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.

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.

I don't think of myself all the time.

I don't think of myself all the time.

People haven't got the interest in long long works these days. A lack of interest...

People haven't got the interest in long long works these days. A lack of interest...

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...

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...

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 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...

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...

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...

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.