News at Eleven: [Charles] Simic rejects the notion

that the poet has any role other than "to write good poems." Every time he is asked about the role of the poet, he thinks of the communists and their "cultural policy."

"They always had duties and roles for writers and poets. Poetry presents poetry. Any poet is an individual voice. If he is a good poet or she is a good poet, the whole question is of trying to do what you do well--the integrity that comes with the work that you do," he said.

from USINFO: New U.S. Poet Laureate Charles Simic Immigrated as Teen

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