“There is a geography which holdsits hands just so far from the breastand pushes you away, crying so.”

“When I die, don't come, I wouldn't want a leafto turn away from the sun -- it loves it there.There's nothing so spiritual about being happybut you can't miss a day of it, because it doesn't last.”

“I don't believe in god, so I don't have to make elaborately sounded structures. ... Pain always produces logic, which is very bad for you. ... As for measure and other technical apparatus, that's just common sense: if you're going to buy a pair of pants you want them to be tight enough so everyone will want to go to bed with you. There's nothing metaphysical about it.”

“Leaf! you are so big!How can you change yourcolor, then just fall!As if there were nosuch thing as integrity!”

“I've got to get out of here. I choose a piece of shawl and my dirtiest suntans. I'll be back, I'll re-emerge, defeated, from the valley; you don't want me to go where you go, so I go where you don't want me to.”

“As for measure and other technical apparatus, that’s just common sense: if you’re going to buy a pair of pants you want them to be tight enough so everyone will want to go to bed with you. There’s nothing metaphysical about it. Unless, of course, you flatter yourself into thinking that what you’re experiencing is “yearning.”

“If I am ever to find these trees meaningfulI must have you by the hand. As it is, theystretch dusty fingers into an obscure sky,and the snow looks up like a face dirtiedwith tears. Should I cry out and see what happens?There could only be a stranger wanderingin this landscape, cold, unfortunate, himselffrozen fast in wintry eyes.”