“Fools have big wombs.”

“All women are not Helen, I know that, but have Helen in their hearts.”

“The HurricaneThe tree lay downon the garage roof and stretched, You have your heaven, it said, go to it.”

“This is Just to Say I have eatenthe plumsthat were inthe iceboxand whichyou were probablysavingfor breakfastForgive methey were deliciousso sweetand so cold”

“THE THOUGHTFUL LOVERDeny yourself allhalf things. Have itor leave it.But it will keep—orit is not worththe having.Never startanything you can'tfinish—However do not losefaith because youare starved!She loves youshe says. Believe it —tomorrow.But todaythe particularsof poetrythat difficult artrequireyour whole attention.”

“You remember I had a strong inclination all my life to be a painter. Under different circumstances I would rather have been a painter than to bother with these god-damn words. I never actually thought of myself as a poet but I knew I had to be an artist in some way.”

“At our age the imagination across the sorry facts lifts usto make roses stand before thorns. Surelove is cruel and selfish and totally obtuse—at least, blinded by the light, young love is. But we are older,I to love and you to be loved, we have,no matter how, by our wills survived to keepthe jeweled prize always at our finger tips.We will it so and so it is past all accident.”