James Fenton

From James Fenton 2002 An introduction to English poetry 
Penguin Books


p. 14
"You American poets, he said, and you European poets, you think that because you are poets you are very important, whereas I am an African, and I don't think I am important at all. When I go into a village and begin to tell a story, the first thing the audience will do is interrupt me. They will ask questions about the story I am telling, and if I do not work hard they will take over the story and tell it among themselves. I have to work hard to get the story back from them ...

We all assumed that, because we were poets, the audience would listen to us in appreciative silence. A hush would fall when we approached the rostrum, and when we sat down there would be applause. But to the African these seemed arrogant assumptions. To him, every scrap of attention and appreciation had to be worked for." 

http://www.jamesfenton.com/poetry/

http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/series/jamesfentonspoetrymasterclass