"I think there is a great difference, in that when the poet is reading you get the whole personality of the person, especially if he's a good reader. Whereas a person just sitting gets what he puts into it"

This quote by James Laughlin talks to the power of the spoken word. He recommends that when a poet reads their work, the audience gets the complete experience of the poem, as the poet has the ability to bring their own personality to the reading. This is in contrast to somebody merely sitting and reading the poem, as they are only able to get out of it what they take into it. This recommends that the poet's performance of their work is an integral part of the experience, as it allows the audience to get in touch with the poem on a deeper level. Laughlin's quote speaks to the value of the spoken word, and how it can be utilized to develop an effective and significant experience for the audience.