Anybody who writes doesn't like to be misunderstood. Norman MacCaig More Quotes by Norman MacCaig More Quotes From Norman MacCaig When I talk of hearing a poet's voice speaking, I always think of it as in the presence of the man. Norman MacCaig voice men thinking I never think about poetry except when I'm writing it. I mean my poetry. Norman MacCaig writing mean thinking I don't think of myself all the time. Norman MacCaig thinking Well, I'm a light traveller. I chuck things away. Norman MacCaig chuck light literature I'm very gregarious, but I love being in the hills on my own. Norman MacCaig hills nature love-is But I hang on to books. I love them. I even think they're very nice decor in a room - far better than paintings... That's not quite true! Norman MacCaig true-love nice book If I wrote a play with four characters every single one of them would talk like me regardless of age or sex. Norman MacCaig play character sex I don't care whether a book is a first edition or not. I'm not a bibliophile in that word's natural sense. Norman MacCaig care literature book When I was a teacher, teachers would come into my classroom and admire my desk on which lay nothing whatever, whereas theirs were heaped with papers and books. Norman MacCaig paper teacher book And in a way, that's been a help to me, because I take great passions for a particular poet - sometimes it lasts for many years, sometimes only for a while. This happens to everybody. Norman MacCaig passion literature years And it's impossible for me to read Henry James. Norman MacCaig literature impossible And some poets are far better read off the page because they're very bad speakers. I'm thinking of one in particular whom I won't name, a good poet, and he reads in such a dry, boring way, your eyes start drooping. Norman MacCaig eye names thinking But you'd have a job to find many of my poems which would seem to be very influenced by a particular person. Norman MacCaig persons literature jobs I used to fish the Border rivers, but nowadays you have to queue up for a shot and I can't stand that. Norman MacCaig fish-tanks borders rivers And if they haven't got poetry in them, there's nothing you can do that will produce it. Norman MacCaig nothing will you poetry I find it's impossible for me to read Proust. Norman MacCaig read find me impossible
