I don't like poetry that just slaps violent words on a canvas, as it were. Anne Stevenson More Quotes by Anne Stevenson More Quotes From Anne Stevenson You sleep with a dream of summer weather, Anne Stevenson summer dream rain I married a young Englishman in Cambridge in 1955 and have lived in Britain every since. Anne Stevenson britain married young Sylvia Plath was just a month and a half older than I, and when she committed suicide I was only 30 - and very shocked and sorry. I never knew her personally. Anne Stevenson half suicide sorry Peter Lucas and I live in Durham but spend a great of time in North Wales, where we have a cottage in the mountains, and in Vermont, USA, with my sister - who is a children's writer married to a poet. Anne Stevenson usa children america Blake has always been a favorite, the lyrics, not so much the prophetic books, but I suppose Yeats influenced me more as a young poet, and the American, Robert Frost. Anne Stevenson yeats frost book I'm not really quiet or shy. Ask any of my friends! But I always ground my poetry in life itself. Poetry is an art of language, though, so I am always aware of every word's meaning, or multiple meanings. Anne Stevenson friends shy art I did know Ted Hughes and I partly wrote the book to explain to myself and others the complexities of a marriage that was for six years wonderfully productive of poetry and then ended in tragedy. Anne Stevenson marriage book years There comes a time when you have to trust your own judgment, when you must close your eyes and let your instinct rule you. Anne Stevenson judgment intuition eye My earlier poems were sadder than my poems are today, perhaps because I wrote them in confusion or when I was unhappy. But I am not a melancholy person, quite the contrary, no one enjoys laughing more than I do. Anne Stevenson confusion unhappy laughing I work very hard on all my poems, but most of the work consists of trying not to sound as if I had worked. I try to make them sound as natural as possible, but within a quite strict form, which to my ears has a lot to do with musical rhythm and sound. Anne Stevenson musical sound trying democracy is dying. We are ruled by faceless bureaucrats and lecherous puritans. ... You think about it. 'All right for me but not for you' is their philosophy. Anne Stevenson democracy philosophy thinking A hobbyhorse can be a tiring ride for nonenthusiasts. Anne Stevenson hobbies tire Many varieties of sonnet, of course, have been written over the ages. Anne Stevenson course over been many Writing in a strict form can surprise you. Anne Stevenson you strict surprise writing Have you ever heard of a pianist who never had to practice - or of an architect who didn't bother to find out why buildings stand up? Anne Stevenson stand-up never you practice
