SOURCE: “Something to Be Said for the Light: A Conversation with James Wright,” in Southern Humanities Review, Vol. VI, No. 2, Spring, 1972, pp. 134-53.

In the following interview, which took place in 1970, Wright discusses some origins of his poetry, his evolving poetic style, his relationship to other poets, and his sense of the world around him.

The following conversation with James Wright took place at the State University College, Brockport, New York on September 24, 1970. Discussing Wright's work with him are two widely published poets and critics of modern poetry, William Heyen (S. U. N. Y. at Brockport) and Jerome Mazzaro (S. U. N. Y. at Buffalo). At Heyen's request, Wright begins their discussion with a reading of his poem “To a Defeated Saviour” [Wright:]

Gi; “to a Defeated Saviour” =~ S“to a Defeated Saviour”

Do you forget the shifting hole Where the slow swimmer fell aground And floundered for...