Brown: I hope so. Part of feeling like you have a great task in front of you has to do with that, what people call taboo. If I weren’t writing about these things, then I wouldn’t feel like I had great work to do. Part of the anxiety of writing has to do with the feeling, “Oh my god I have to write this poem.” Every time I write a poem, every time I write a book, I want to get closer to the bone, and after I get to the bone I want to get closer to the marrow. I want to get closer and closer and always be in a position of vulnerability and always be in a position of fear. You’re not writing if you’re not scared. I taught a workshop last week and a bit of argument came up about what to write and how to write and they were really concerned. I told them, the important thing is to write what you can’t refuse. If you can refuse to write it, don’t. But if you can’t, if something is egging you on… There’s a certain amount of responsibility that comes with what we do. Which is why there is very little thanks in the world for it, right? I believe poetry is important, and that it makes a difference.
Source: https://as.vanderbilt.edu/nashvillereview/archives/3732