"Poets have to be sensitive to their audience, but it does not mean that they censor themselves. I realise my audience is diverse. Some will read with empathy and curiosity while others will take offense"

John Barton's quote speaks to the significance of poets understanding their audience when writing. He acknowledges that the audience varies which some readers might take offense to the material of the poem. Nevertheless, he likewise highlights that this need to not result in self-censorship. Instead, poets need to be delicate to their audience and compose with empathy and curiosity. This enables them to create significant works that can be appreciated by a large range of readers. By knowing their audience, poets can produce works that are both significant and available. Ultimately, this quote motivates poets to be conscious of their audience while still allowing them to express themselves freely.