And about the term American as applied to my work, the most essential way in which I am American is in the language I use, which is called English, and the fact that I have lived sadly enough all my life in America, or the United States of, and not Paris. Language is essential. So therefore, since I speak like all other educated Americans, I must speak and write American, despite wanting to be a Dada poet, but without the attitude (I try to fight against it anyway).

When you consider your own "tradition," do you think primarily of American poets?

Yes, since I cannot imagine being influenced by a poet who I cannot read. I cannot imagine it, but I am sure it has happened. I can puzzle out French and probably have been influenced by any number of Surrealists, such as Robert Desnos or Benjamin Peret (the second line). Berton is too arrogant. Here is my tradition: Stevens, Berryman, Frank O'Hara, Jimmy Schuyler, Ted Berrigan, Charles Bernstein. What kind of a tradition is that, not really a tradition, but these are my influences. They are all Americans when push comes to shove. But also sophisticates. I am not influenced by Paul Celan, but I love his poetry, at least in English. And many others from a variety of places like the county formerly known as the Soviet Union, or even China thousands of years ago (Li Po, Tu Fu, Wang Wei). I would like to be influenced by Lucie Brock-Broido and Brenda Hillman. I am actually influenced by Jane Cooper, Jean Valentine and Marie Howe in real life. They are all Americans and women. Does that matter? Can I be influenced by a woman. I think so.

Do you believe there is anything specifically American about past and contemporary American poetry? Is there American poetry in the sense that there is said to be American painting or American film? Do you wish to distinguish American poetry from British or other English language poetry?

If there is an American painting and film then there is an American poetry. So there. It all comes down to the fact that what is written in the boundaries of the USA is America poetry (and I suppose by its citizens outside the boundaries). Other poetries are Canadian and Mexican, etc.. Is this a political question? Everything is political and all poems are love poems. Take that.

Which historic poets do you consider most responsible for generating distinctly American poetics?

It has to be Walt and Emily, they are the ones who through us have made up what we might call American Poetry. Eliot Pound and Stein are all American poets, regrettably though so is Hemingway. Yes to Walcott and Milosz. Or maybe. Heaney is Irish. Aren't there any women expatriates. He would not consider himself American. Is this all an accident of birth then?

What import does regional poetry occupy in your sense of American poetry?

Regionalism both does and doesn't exist. At the heart of things we are all, except Rilke, regional. And then none of us are. Charles Olson's sense of the place might be useful to you if you want to be regional. But do not think you can write about your street or the Mayor of your town. Because you can't. You can only write about yourself unless you try really hard.

What significance does popular culture possess in your sense of American poetry?

You would have to be a dead poet not to be influenced by popular culture, if by that you mean french fries, Madonna and Ben Folds Five, for instance. And the movies too, and television certainly.

What about the American poets who lived primarily in Europe (Eliot, Pound, Stein)? What about the European poets who have recently lived or worked in America (Heaney, Walcott, Milosz)?

I don't particularly like to read translations unless they are by Ezra Pound. I do, but I don't like to. I love translators though. I can't think of any now, and I don't mean personally though, as I tend to fall in love with visual artists instead of writers, to my great chagrin. I also try to read Wittgenstein and others of his kind from time to time, but I think I need a translator for philosophers. They influence me though. Wittgenstein is definitely not American. Nor Roland Barthes.

Do other aspects of your life (for instance, gender, sexual preference, ethnicity) figure more prominently than nationality in your self-identity as a poet?

Yes, my gender and sexual preference are wildly more central to my writing. I told you that all poems are love poems, didn't I? Since I am a white middle-class, Scots, Zen Catholic, Queer, educated beyond my means person I do not have any ethnic identity unfortunately for me. That is what comes of living as part of the majority (except for the Queerness, which is probably why I am interesting at all.)

Do you believe you could readily distinguish a poem by an American poet from a poem by other poets writing in English?

Oh Probably I could distinguish one from another.

What do you see as the consequences of "political correctness" for American poetry?

Political correctness is good. Bias and prejudice, racism, sexism are all bad. Sorry about that.

What are your predictions for American poetry in the next century?

More.

Additional Comments:

So, Like it or not, "we" are all "americans" and I am too, even though I would rather be living in Paris or Oakland.