“Cafeteria-style education, combined with the unwillingness of our schools to place demands on students, has resulted in a steady diminishment of commonly shared information between generations and between young people themselves.” PeopleSchoolYoungEducationGenerationsStyleInformationStudentsDemandSteadySelf EducationCafeteria Author:Edward Hirsch
“I started then to try and shape something rather than just express it and when I started to shape something and to imitate other poems that were written by other people, when I had tried to integrate my reading and my writing I was on my path.” PeopleWritingTryingReadingPathWrittenShapesIntegrating Author:Edward Hirsch
“So, the process of revision, it's not systematic. But for me, I mean, I know a lot of poets who write out a draft and then revise it and I think they're happier people. But, I'm just not able to do it that way. I need to just continually examine it as I do it.” PeopleThinkingKnowsWayNeedsWritingMeanAbleProcessPoetSystematicRevision Author:Edward Hirsch
“It does demand a certain space in order to read it and I think that space is somewhat threatened by the lack of attention that people have and the amount of time that they give to things.” PeopleThinkingGivingDoeCertainOrderSpaceAttentionAmountDemandThreatened Author:Edward Hirsch
“I just think that limits the kinds of experiences that people can have with poetry. But, poetry will survive; I don't worry about that. But, I do think that it may save fewer souls if people can't pay attention.” PeopleIfsThinkingKindMaySoulPayAttentionWorryLimitsPay AttentionFewer Author:Edward Hirsch
“I think that the dark side of MFA programs is that they're generating more poets than the culture can absorb and there are more people writing poetry than possibly read it or can certainly earn a living around it.” PeopleThinkingWritingCultureSidesDarkPoetProgramDark SideWriting Poetry Author:Edward Hirsch
“The very good thing about MFA programs is their democratizing. They bring a lot of different people to the table.” PeopleDifferentProgramTablesGood ThingsVery GoodDifferent Peoples Author:Edward Hirsch
“I mean, in the history of poetry there have been a lot poetries where you have to inherit the position of poet from your ancestors and I think that if you just leave anyone to become a poet based on an aristocratic society, then a lot of people are left out who might have something to offer.” PeopleIfsThinkingMeanHas BeensMightLeftPositionPoetOffersAncestorLeft OutAristocratic Author:Edward Hirsch
“I would be happier if people who went through MFA programs also were already, by then, deeply committed readers of poetry because we need readers of poetry as much as writers of poetry.” PeopleIfsNeedsWould BeReaderProgramCommittedPoetry Is Author:Edward Hirsch
“I think the culture can absorb so many people writing poetry and trying to earn their living in poetry.” PeopleThinkingWritingTryingCultureWriting Poetry Author:Edward Hirsch
