Keeping Faith

Going through a drawer this morning I found the letter from 1968 in which- aged 17- I announced to my mother that I was going to be a poet. "Silly, pretentious little twit," I thought and then, "Hang on a minute, I didn't say I was going to be a famous poet, just a poet- and as unfamous poets go I've been as productive- and published as much- as most- so, actually- that's a pledge I've kept...."