“life was a stone cutting and grinding...”

“Writing is like the life of a glacier; one eternal grind.”

“This thing all things devours:Birds, beasts, trees, flowers;Gnaws iron, bites steel;Grinds hard stones to meal;Slays king, ruins town,And beats high mountain down.”

“Not only our actions, but also our omissions, become our destiny. From "Cutting for Stone”

“Smelling A Stone In The Middle Of WinterI can't rememberWhat gravel and weeds look like.This little stone becomes importantAnd starts to act big.I expect it to orbit the kitchen stoveAny minute now.Near my noseIt getsBigger and biggerUntil it's a mountainI'm lost on.This stone is differentThan the stone that grinds me downAll dayAt work.This stoneSmells like the inside of your dressOn a spring afternoon.It's the hard feeling in my stomachWhen I'm talking nonsense to you.This stone is so invitingEveryone wants to walk right into itAnd become a fossil.”

“Rain! whose soft architectural hands have power to cut stones, and chisel to shapes of grandeur the very mountains.”