Norman MacCaig Quotes

Norman MacCaig

Scottish Poet

Born: Nov 14, 1910

Died: Jan 23, 1996

About Books Me Poetry Think You

Related authors: Alexander Smith Andrew Lang James Beattie Robert Burns Robert W. Service William Drummond William Falconer

I used to fish the Border rivers, but nowadays you have to queue up for a shot and I can't stand that. Norman MacCaig

You Nowadays Border Rivers Fish Queue Up Shot Stand Used

In fact a lot of them I think are absolute baloney. Those Charles Olsens and people like that. At first I was interested in seeing what they were up to, what they were doing, why they were doing it. They never moved me in the way that one is moved by true poetry. Norman MacCaig

A terrible thing about getting oldish is that your friends start dying, and in the last ten years I have lost seven or eight of my closest. Norman MacCaig

Lost Seven About Ten Ten Years Terrible Terrible Thing Years Friends Closest Getting Eight Dying Your Thing Start Last

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. Norman MacCaig

Me You Met Affection Side Books Those Poetry Never Prose Most Course Fishing Get Authors Behind Whom Enjoyed

And in a way, that's been a help to me, because I take great passions for a particular poet - sometimes it lasts for many years, sometimes only for a while. This happens to everybody. Norman MacCaig

Great Me Sometimes Poet Everybody Lasts Way Only Take Particular Because Passions Been Years Happens While Help Many

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. Norman MacCaig

Good Eyes Better Poet Thinking Way Bad Boring Some Poets He Name Particular Read Dry Because Reads Off Very Far Page Your Speakers Whom Start

And the second question, can poetry be taught? I didn't think so. Norman MacCaig

Think Poetry Question Taught Second

I don't care whether a book is a first edition or not. I'm not a bibliophile in that word's natural sense. Norman MacCaig

Natural Book Word Care First Sense Edition Whether

I don't think of myself all the time. Norman MacCaig

Time Myself Think

I only keep books that I like very much. Otherwise I'd throw them out. Norman MacCaig

Otherwise Books Out Only Throw Like Very Them Much Keep

People haven't got the interest in long long works these days. A lack of interest which I share. Norman MacCaig

People Long Share Days Got Lack Which Interest Works

Well, I love fishing. I wouldn't kill a fly myself but I've no hesitation in killing a fish. A lot of men are like that. No bother. Out you come. Thump. And that's not the only reason. Norman MacCaig

Love Myself You Fly Men Hesitation Out Only Bother Come Like Well Fish Fishing Lot Reason

When I talk of hearing a poet's voice speaking, I always think of it as in the presence of the man. Norman MacCaig

Man Poet Think Voice Talk Always Hearing Speaking Presence

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