“He who partakes the honor, should participate in the labor.”

“Language reveals the man. Speak that I may see thee.”

“Drink to me only with thine eyes,And I will pledge with mine;Or leave a kiss but in the cup,And I'll not look for wine.”

“To see the madness and yet walk a perfect silver line. ... That's what the true story-teller should be: a great guide, a clear mind, who can walk a silver line in hell or madness.”

“Anyone who believes that you can make art from language is part of a small, nearly-vanishing community, and we should all form a wedge and march on the enemy. Do we need different uniforms in this struggle, different stripes on our arms so that it's clear who the realists are? Maybe, but I care less and less.”

“I was participating in something horrible, and my only defense is that I was motivated by my own fear, which of course is no defense at all.”

“Every male in the world thinks he's an excellent driver. Every copper who's ever had to pick an eyeball out of a puddle knows that most of them are kidding themselves.”