“I thought again about throwing language all over a scene, wondered if the emotional mystery of one's response to place doesn't lie in the inchoate play of possible words, of felt meanings and poetries, of the sublime, the romantic, the picturesque, Zen; even, perhaps, something new. And perhaps that twinge of disappointment one always feels at the words chosen - and thus also at the glorious scene-comes from the dream that in that instant of indecision and all-decision before your mind clarified its response to beauty, you just might have held within you language finally saturated with all the earth's meaning." Page 211”

“Virtue," he said. "The real thing. It's not some kind of cuddly teddy bear you can keep on the shelf until you need a hug. It's dangerous, which is why it makes people so nervous. Virtue has its own agenda, and believe me, it's not always yours. The word itself means strength, power. And when it gets loose, you'd better watch out."Something bad might happen..."Impossible. But possibly something painful"-A Wizard Alone by Diane Duane”

“What else is a poem about?The rhythm and the images buried in the language. All the ways you can build an emotion with words, but you can't just write 'I feel sad.' I mean, you can, but it's not poetry... I think it has to be experienced instead of studied. You step into it.”

“I don’t think people will ever know or understand what it’s like to be living in the middle of reality and a dream. It can be very hard to deal with the two. In reality you fight for what you believe in and all the things you want to achieve. When you go to sleep your dreams take you to all the avenues and places you want to be and see. For this middle step may be a tough one to step over, this is when prayer and faith steps in. Pray that you get and keep the spirit of a warrior and not the faith of a coward. You will need it and on this journey may you achieve it.”

“Something always happens. You still have to promise stuff anyway. If you have to work to make the promises true... it's like a spell. You have to say the words every time you want the results.”

“There's no way that can be the river," Rhiow said."Rhi, the ceiling of Grand Central--" Saash said."It's backward," Rhiow snapped, "thank you very much, I know all about it.""Is it?" Saash said. "Which direction are you coming at it from?"Rhiow closed her mouth and thought about that.”

“One of the creatures in the front circle shook itself all over and, still shaking, moved very, very slowly toward Spock. He didn't move a muscle. The creature put out a long slender pseudopod, gleaming in the sunshine like suddenly blown glass, and poked Spock's boot with it. Then it made the scratchy sound again, more laughter, and said a word: "Gotcha!" It jumped back into place. All the other creatures began to echo the scratch-laughter. Spock looked around him in mild bemusement. "Captain," he said, "I suspect we have found a kindergarten...”