If People Associate Me With A Region,

Some People Swear By Writing Courses, But Whether It Really Helps American Poetry, I Have Doubts.

If People Associate Me With A Region, That's Fine With Me.

Distance Not Only Gives Nostalgia, But Perspective, And Maybe Objectivity.

Maybe The Example Of Southern Fiction Writing Has Been So Powerful That Southern Poets Have Sort Of Keyed Themselves To That.

I Encourage Students To Pursue An Idea Far Enough So They Can See What The Cliches And Stereotypes Are. Only Then Do They Begin To Hit Pay Dirt.