Written poetry is different. Best thing is to see it in performance first then read it. Performance is more provocative.

Poetry is first and last language - the rest is filler.

The first function of poetry is to tell the truth to learn how to do that to find out what you really feel and what you really think.

So I really began as a failed poet - although when I first wanted to be a writer I learned to write prose by reading poetry.

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.

For my part if I consider poetry as an object I maintain that it is born of the necessity of adding a vocal sound (speech) to the hammering of the first tribal music.

I've written poetry since I was in the first grade and it wasn't until I was a little bit older that I realized poetry could be put to music and become a song.

I never thought I'd be doing poetry books. I never really studied poetry. But the first one I did was after my mother died and I realized that people sort of think and talk about her style and fashion but in fact what made her the person she was was really her love of reading and ideas.

You pick up loads of baggage with your first record with reaction to it from fans and critics. So I went to Ireland by myself for a couple of weeks with my guitar. I read lots of poetry I read Patti Smith's autobiography and started words and phrases and then songs started to take shape.

I think there's something great and generic about goldfish. They're everybody's first pet.

President George W. Bush is the first American president to call openly for two-states Israel and Palestine living side by side in peace and security.

The first thing I see is the obligation to serve peace.

As a privileged survivor of the First World War I hope I may be allowed to interject here a deeply felt tribute to those who were not fortunate enough to succeed but who shared the signal honor of trying to the last to salvage peace.

The old fun thing is when somebody typed up the first chapter of War and Peace. And then made a precis of the rest of it and sent it out and only one publisher recognized it.

The Peace Corps would give thousands of young Americans a chance to see at first hand the conditions in remote areas of the world.

I think that this is the first war in history that on the morrow the victors sued for peace and the vanquished called for unconditional surrender.

That was my first lesson from Ben-Gurion. Then I saw him making peace and I saw him making war. He mobilized me before the war. The man was a very rare combination between a real intellectual and a born leader. There is a contradiction between the two.

Since there will be no one left to talk peace after the next war it makes good sense to break with tradition and hold the peace conference first.

The very first lesson that I learnt from the Qur'an was the message of unity and peace.

An honorable Peace is and always was my first wish! I can take no delight in the effusion of human Blood but if this War should continue I wish to have the most active part in it.

First keep peace with yourself then you can also bring peace to others.

Peace is the first thing the angels sang.

Patriotism is when love of your own people comes first nationalism when hate for people other than your own comes first.

When I was in the first grade I was afraid of the teacher and had a miserable time in the reading circle a difficulty that was overcome by the loving patience of my second grade teacher. Even though I could read I refused to do so.