Well, I love fishing. I wouldn't kill a fly myself but I've no hesitation in killing a fish. A lot of men are like that. No bother. Out you come. Thump. And that's not the only reason.

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...

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...

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...

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...

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 used to fish the Border rivers, but nowadays you have to queue up for...

I used to fish the Border rivers, but nowadays you have to queue up for...

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 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...

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....

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...

I don't think of myself all the time.

I don't think of myself all the time.

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

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

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 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...

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...

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...

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 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.

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...

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...