"Of course, you would have to be insane to hope your child grows up to be a playwright or poet. Given the odds, you would have to be quite cavalier about your children's future"

This quote by Mark Helprin is a commentary on the trouble of earning a living as a playwright or poet. He is suggesting that it would be foolish to hope that a person's kid would grow up to pursue such a profession, as the odds of success are slim. He indicates that it would take a specific level of recklessness to be going to take such a threat with one's child's future. He is not stating that it is impossible to earn a living as a playwright or poet, but rather that it is a tough and unpredictable path. He is warning parents to be mindful of the risks connected with such a career option.