THE POET’S ORIGINAL ROLE

is to explore the reaches of her or his private psyche, pushing against usual psychological boundaries until they give, opening up a new mystical territory – the psyche of the people, of the species itself – perceiving a spectacular vision of inner reality that the poet communicates to the people, translating that vision through words, rhythm, or song.

(Not long ago, a friend handed this to me on a scrap of note paper.)