"I have experienced healing through other writers' poetry, but there's no way I can sit down to write in the hope a poem will have healing potential. If I do, I'll write a bad poem"

Marilyn Hacker is recommending that composing poetry with the intent of it having healing potential is not an effective method. She believes that healing through poetry is something that can only be experienced, not created. She is indicating that if one attempts to compose a poem with the intention of it having recovery potential, it will not succeed. This is due to the fact that the recovery potential of a poem is something that can not be forced, however rather something that is experienced. Hacker is suggesting that the best way to experience recovery through poetry is to check out the work of other writers.