“Every life I start with her, my original sin. I know myself through her.”

“Ignorance of the law of irreducibility was no excuse. I could no longer excuse myself with the claim that I didn't know the law -- for knowledge of self and of the world is the law that, even though unattainable, cannot be broken, and no one can excuse himself by saying that he doesn't know it. . . . The renewed originality of the sin is this: I have to carry out my unknowing, I shall be sinning originally against life.”

“every night I fold myself into her, every night she comes into my life and I feel her hand on my heart and she is saying, I am here ... I am here.”

“I didn't begin life hating my grandmother. Like every child, I adored her. Until I formed a brain and got to know her.”

“But just as soon as this war's over and finished with,I'll get back home and marry her.I've grown up with her, Joey, known her all my life. S'pose I know her almost as well as I know myself, and I like her a lot better.”

“I know how ineffectual my actions are, but I do them on purpose--to punish myself. I deserve the pain that closeness to her brings. I want to hold her like this every day. I want to be the focus of her radiant smile. I let myself pretend for the duration of the song, and when its over I touch her face again and imagine that we are together.”