Imagination and poetry

William Carlos Williams
From: Kora in Hell: Improvisations

There is neither beginning nor end to the imagination but it delights in its own seasons reversing the usual order at will. Of the air of the coldest room it will seem to build the hottest passions. Mozart would dance with his wife, whistling his own tune to keep the cold away and Villon ceased to write upon his Petite Testament only when the ink was frozen. But men in the direst poverty of the imagination buy finery and indulge in extravagant moods in order to piece out their lack with other matter.

Charles Bukowski
From: "In Defense of a Certain Type of Poetry, a Certain Type of Life, a Certain Type of Blood-Filled Creature Who Will Someday Die"

Most of our bad and acceptable poetry is written by English profs of state-supported, rich-supported, industry-supported universities. These are careful teachers picked to breed careful men to keep the upper-game going while the lower-game. the lower echelon of men and nations, gets the going over.