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

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'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.

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 it's impossible for me to read Henry James.

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

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...

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 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 don't think of myself all the time.

I don't think of myself all the time.

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...

Anybody who writes doesn't like to be misunderstood.

Anybody who writes doesn't like to be misunderstood.

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...

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...

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 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.

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...

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...

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 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 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...

But I hang on to books. I love them. I even think they're very nice...

But I hang on to books. I love them. I even think they're very nice...