“The whole blear worldof smoke and twisted steelaround my head in a railroadcar, and my mind wanderingpast the rust into futurity:I saw the sun go downin a carnal and primevalworld, leaving darknessto cover my railroad trainbecause the other side of theworld was waiting for dawn.”

“Lay my head on the railroad line. Train come along; pacify my mind. ”

“Suddenly, gentlemen of the jury, I felt a Dostoevskian grin dawning (through the very grimace that twisted my lips) like a distant and terrible sun.”

“I have at least the whole of my life to answer a question: Who am I? And who is the other? A gust of wind at dawn? A motionless landscape? A trembling leaf? A coil of white smoke above a mountain? I write all these words and I hear the wind, not outside, but inside my head. A strong wind, it rattles the shutters through which I enter the dream.”

“The veil of self-indulgence was rent from head to foot. I saw my life as a whole.”

“Fine. Stay. I don’t care,” I rolled onto my side and closed my eyes. “But don’t think I’m going to share the bed!”~Touching Smoke”