George Oppen

“What I like more than anything is to visit other islands...”

“When the hammer strikes a nail, the extreme force of the blow on the broad head is transmitted without loss to the point. The head of the nail is the whole of eternity and the point of that nail is pressed to the center of the human heart. " [ quoting Simone Weil from memory ]”

“Only one mistake, Ezra! You should have talked to women.”

“Ultimately the airIs bare sunlight where must be foundThe lyric valuable.”

“Among days// Having only the force/ Of days//Most simple/ Most difficult”

“I think there is no light in the worldbut the worldand I think there is light”