Jesús Papoleto Meléndez

"Poetry belongs everywhere, of course — but especially in the classroom…"

"…Poetry is not a stepping-stone to fortune and fame, or Hollywood for that matter — where, if the poet where [sic] to seek that, he or she would trade their voice for that of Hollywood, or fortune and fame, and lose their use of poetry. Poetry does not compromise itself for such mundane material."

"…There is no such a thing as an old poet. People are younger and older, chronologically, because of math of calendars, but spirits are young and old simultaneously. Poetry as a professional, life-long pursuit is one that offers wisdom with age, and that’s to be respected…"

"…All of my poems, to me, have always had an intonation to them, and I think that’s really part and parcel to the nature of writing poetry anyway. My poetry is different from the typical iambic pentameter. It’s not linear because it cascades and goes down the page like an escalator."