“I planned my death carefully, unlike my life, which meandered along from one thing to another, despite my feeble attempts to control it.”

“I plan on putting off death my whole life.”

“You've turned my wounds into wisdom. Teaching me to learn from my mistakes. Which ones were mine and which were out of my control.”

“If there is some divine plan that requires my survival and the deaths of all those children in day care, I respectfully decline to participate.”

“I would not have a god come in To shield me suddenly from sin, And set my house of life to rights; Nor angels with bright burning wings Ordering my earthly thoughts and things; Rather my own frail guttering lights Wind blown and nearly beaten out; Rather the terror of the nights And long, sick groping after doubt; Rather be lost than let my soul Slip vaguely from my own control -- Of my own spirit let me be In sole though feeble mastery.”

“One false step, and you’ll fall all the way to Tartarus—and believe me, unlike the Doors of Death, this would be a one-way trip, a very hard fall! I will not have you dying before you tell me your plan for my artwork.”