“Outside the youth center, between the liquor storeand the police station,a little dogwood tree is losing its mind;overflowing with blossomfoam,like a sudsy mug of beer;like a bride ripping off her clothes,dropping snow white petals to the ground in clouds,so Nature’s wastefulness seems quietly obscene.It’s been doing that all week:making beauty,and throwing it away,and making more.”
Tony Hoagland“the glory of the protagonist is always paid for by a lot of secondary characters”
Tony Hoagland“When you're a student of poetry, you're lucky if you don't realize how untalented you are until you get a little better. Otherwise, you would just stop.”
Tony Hoagland, Ploughshares“Until we say the truth, there can be no tenderness.As long as there is desire, we will not be safe”
Tony Hoagland, Donkey Gospel“Outside the youth center, between the liquor storeand the police station,a little dogwood tree is losing its mind;overflowing with blossomfoam,like a sudsy mug of beer;like a bride ripping off her clothes,dropping snow white petals to the ground in clouds,so Nature’s wastefulness seems quietly obscene.It’s been doing that all week:making beauty,and throwing it away,and making more.”
Tony Hoagland, What Narcissism Means to Me“No matter how you feel you have to actlike you are very popular with yourself”
very relaxed and purposefulvery unconfusedand notlike you are walking through the sunshinesingingin chains.