Norman MacCaig quotes - page 2

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)
All those authors there, most of whom of course I've never met. That's the poetry side, that's the prose side, that's the fishing and miscellaneous behind me. You get an affection for books that you've enjoyed. View quote
Norman MacCaig
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. View quote
Norman MacCaig
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! View quote
Norman MacCaig
But you'd have a job to find many of my poems which would seem to be very influenced by a particular person. View quote
Norman MacCaig
I don't care whether a book is a first edition or not. I'm not a bibliophile in that word's natural sense. View quote
Norman MacCaig
In some ways I'm a reticent man, and for quite a number of years there wasn't very much of my real true deep feelings in my writing. View quote
Norman MacCaig
I just didn't want to shoot other people. View quote
Norman MacCaig
And it's impossible for me to read Henry James. View quote
Norman MacCaig