“May you turnstone, my daughter,into silk. May you make men better than they are.”

“It is not much better to fall honourably in defence of liberty, than be again exposed to the outrages of Romans? Such, at least, is my resolution; as for you men, you may, if you please, live and be slaves!”

“Whoever you are, now I place my hand upon you/ That you may be my poem/ I whisper with my lips close to your ear/ I have loved many women and men, but I love none better than you.”

“Better to have you curse me for giving you too much freedom, than have you blame me for bad decisions that may or may not have come as a result of my advice.”

“Give what you have. To someone, it may be better than you dare to think.”

“may my heart always be open to littlebirds who are the secrets of livingwhatever they sing is better than to knowand if men should not hear them men are old may my mind stroll about hungryand fearless and thirsty and suppleand even if it's sunday may i be wrongfor whenever men are right they are not young and may myself do nothing usefullyand love yourself so more than trulythere's never been quite such a fool who could failpulling all the sky over him with one smile”