Q & A …

… Billy Collins on Twitter, Politics, and Poetry | A&E | connecticutmag.com. (Hat tip, G.E. Reutter.)

Political poetry usually doesn’t last very long because it has a shelf life, it’s tied to the headlines. I think more important than writing or painting politically — especially if you haven’t done that usually, it’s not your voice and you’re sort of straining your voice in some way — I think it’s more important to maintain a kind of artistic or poetic outlook on things. To listen to some of the lessons that poetry generally teaches us. Things like respect for nature, or seeing a connection between us and the natural world, gratitude for being alive, kindness, paying attention, being in touch with your inner self, being in touch with sensitivity. All these things that, when you go generally to a lot of poetry, you find these same ideas are simmering. They’re part of the poetic outlook on life. That should be maintained at any time.

Amen, brother.