Pay no attention to the criticisms of men who have never themselves written a notable work.
Use no superfluous word and no adjective which does not reveal something.
Go in fear of abstractions. Don't retail in mediocre verse what has already been done in good prose.
Don't imagine that the art of poetry is any simpler than the art of music or that you can please the expert before you have spent at least as much effort on the art of verse as the average piano teacher spends on the art of music.
Be influenced by as many great artists as you can, but have the decency either to acknowledge the debt outright or try to conceal it.
Consider the definiteness of Dante's presentation as compared with Milton's. Read as much of Wordsworth as does not seem to be unutterably dull.
If you want the gist of the matter go to Sappho, Catullus, Villon when he is in the vein, Gautier when he is not too frigid, or if yon have not the tongues seek out the leisurely Chaucer.
Good prose will do you no harm. There is good discipline to be had by trying to write it. Translation is also good training.
(Ezra Pound)
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