"Well, the great thing for me about poetry is that in good poems the dislocation of words, that is to say, the distance between what they say they're saying and what they are actually saying is at its greatest"

This quote by Harry Mathews talks to the power of poetry. He suggests that in good poems, the words used are not constantly what they appear. The words might seem stating something, however they are in fact saying something else. This is what Mathews calls the "dislocation of words". He believes that this is what makes poetry so powerful and efficient. It enables the poet to express complex ideas and emotions in such a way that is both subtle and extensive. By using words that are not constantly what they seem, the poet can create a distinct and effective experience for the reader. This is why Mathews thinks that in excellent poems, the distance between what the words appear to be stating and what they are actually saying is at its biggest.