Robert Pinsky, Author of "Essential Pleasures" (INTERVIEW)

Inspired by music from a young age, Robert Pinsky has been able to put his creative mind towards both poetry and novel writing. Not only is he a fascinating author, but Robert Pinsky has also guest-starred in an episode of ‘The Simpsons’ and ‘The Colbert Report.’

With a number of literary awards under his belt, it comes as no surprise that Robert Pinsky would end up being on the list of Oprah’s Summer Reads for his book, ‘Essential Pleasures: A New Anthology of Poems to Read Aloud.’ 

3 Questions With Robert Pinsky

1. How do you keep your work on the cutting edge?

Ignore trends. Pay no attention to what is supposed to be ‘in.’

2. How do you reset yourself to become creative? Do you have any rituals?

I try to do whatever I feel like doing, read or watch or listen to whatever I feel like reading or watching or listening to. Indulging myself absolutely, as an audience seems to inspire me to make things for other people. No doing homework, no doing anything I am supposed to do.

3. What is an example of a time where you have thrown away an existing idea to force yourself to find something new?

After the success of The Inferno of Dante, there was an expectation for me to produce translations of Dante’s Purgatorio and Paradiso.  That felt too much like what I was supposed to do… and I wasn’t supposed to do the Inferno. 

I don’t like doing things I am supposed to do.