Richard Hugo

To write a poem you must have a streak of arrogance-- not in real life I hope. In real life try to be nice. It will save you a hell of a lot of trouble and give you more time to write.

In the world of imagination, all things belong.

Assuming you can write clear English sentences, give up all worry about communication. If you want to communicate, use the telephone.

Don__ write with a pen. Ink tends to give the impression the words shouldn__ be changed.Write with what gives you the most sensual satisfaction.Write in a hard-covered notebook with green lined pages. Green is easy on the eyes. Blank white pages seems to challenge you to create the world before you start writing. It may be true that you, the modern poet, must make the world as you go, but why be reminded of it before you even have one word on the page?Don__ erase. Cross out rapidly and violently, never with slow consideration if you can help it.Start, as some smarty once said, in the middle of things.Play with syntax.Never want to say anything so strongly that you have to give up the option of finding something better _ if you have to say it, you will.Read your poem aloud many times. If you don__ enjoy it every time, something may be wrong.If you ask a question, don__ answer it, or answer a question not asked, or defer. (If you can answer the question, to ask it is to waste time).Maximum sentence length: seventeen words.Minimum: One.Don__ be afraid to take emotional possession of words. If you don__ love a few words enough to own them, you will have to be very clever to write a good poem.