“All good poems are victories over something.”

“Originality, of course, is what occurs when something new arises out of what's already been done.”

“He held her like a new womanand what she feltfelt almost as good as love had,and each of them called it lovebecause precision didn’t matter anymore.”

“I’ve had it with all stingy-hearted sons of bitches.A heart is to be spent.”

“That time I thought I was in loveand calmly said sowas not much different from the timeI was truly in loveand slept poorly and spoke out loudto the walland discovered the hidden geniusof my handsAnd the times I felt less in love,less than someone,were, to be honest, not so differenteither.Each was ridiculous in its own wayand each was tender, yes,sometimes even the false is tender.I am astonishedby the various kisses we’re capable of.Each from different heightsdiminished, which is simply the law.And the big bruisefrom the long fall looked perfectly whitein a few years.That astounded me most of all.”

“Although I know it's unfair, I reveal myself one mask at a time.”

“Now and again I feel the astonishment of being alive like this, in this body.”