“Our names were made for us in another century.”

“Elizabeth's voice had a door in it. When you opened that door you found another door, and that door opened yet another door. All the doors were nice and led out of her.”

“I will be very careful the next time I fall in love, she told herself. Also, she had made a promise to herself that she intended on keeping. She was never going to go out with another writer: no matter how charming, sensitive, inventive or fun they could be. They weren't worth it in the long run. They were emotionally too expensive and the upkeep was complicated. They were like having a vacuum cleaner around the house that broke all the time and only Einstein could fix it. She wanted her next lover to be a broom.”

“My Name“I guess you are kind of curious as to who I am, but I am one of those who do not have a regular name. My name depends on you. Just call me whatever is in your mind.If you are thinking about something that happened a long time ago: Somebody asked you a question and you did not know the answer.That is my name.Perhaps it was raining very hard.That is my name.Or somebody wanted you to do something. You did it. Then they told you what you did was wrong—“Sorry for the mistake,”—and you had to do something else.That is my name.Perhaps it was a game you played when you were a child or something that came idly into your mind when you were old and sitting in a chair near the window.That is my name.Or you walked someplace. There were flowers all around.That is my name.Perhaps you stared into a river. There as something near you who loved you. They were about to touch you. You could feel this before it happened. Then it happened.That is my name.”

“If you are thinking about something that happened a long time ago:Somebody asked you a question and you did not know the answer.That is my name.”

“Once upon a valley There came downFrom some goldenblue mountainsA handsome young princeWho was riding a dawncolored horseNames Lordsburg. I love youYou’re my breathing castleGentle so gentleWe’ll live foreverIn the valley There was a beautiful maidenWhom the prince drifted into love withLike a New Mexico made from apple thunder and long glass beds. I love youYou’re my breathing castleGentle so gentleWe’ll live foreverThe prince enchantedThe maidenAnd they rode offOn the dawncolored horse Named LordsburgToward the goldenblue mountains.I love youYou’re my breathing castleGentle so gentleWe’ll live foreverThey would have lived happily ever after if the horse hadn’t had a flat tireIn front of a dragon’sHouse.”

“all of us have a place in history. mine is clouds.”