Poets have to be sensitive to their audience, but it does not mean that they censor themselves. I realise my audience is diverse. Some will read with empathy and curiosity while others will take offense.
More Quotes by John Barton
Sometimes poetry is inspired by the conversation entered into by reading other poems.
No poem is easily grasped; so why should any reader expect fast results?
An experienced reader uses the poem as an agent of inquiry. This makes poetry very exciting, unstable, and interactive.
Poetry is but another form of inquiry into the nature of phenomena, using with its own unique procedures and tools.
In the past, poetry came in the form of spells and chants used to effect change.
If poetry alters the way in which the reader views the world, then it has had its desired effect.