In honor of National Poetry Month, please check out poet Ali Liebegott’s wonderfully conducted interview with the eminent Dorianne Laux, where Laux sheds light on Emily Dickinson and Edna St. Vincent Millay for helping her hone her poetic craft.
If I hadn’t been able to talk with myself, with respect, as a whole human being, who had a mind and heart and desires, a goodness, a desire to be good—you know, all of those things, I think, are the original impulse when we sit down and write. I’m not the only person in the world who is suffering. I’m trying to talk to the world, responding to those voices.
Emily Dickinson writes to me and I write back. Yes, Emily, there is a pain so utter, it swallows substance up. Yes. Thank you. And here is my cry back to you. And if you can take yourself back into that place, you can write forever…
