The hardest part is when you're in danger yourself. You have to face what could happen and might be likely to happen to you. It's not just that you're there standing next to somebody that something bad is likely to happen to. That is a true moment of reckoning with who you really are.

The original crime of niggers and lesbians is that they prefer themselves.

Laughter isn't even the other side of tears. It is tears turned inside out. Truly the suffering is great, here on earth. We blunder along, shredded by our mistakes, bludgeoned by our faults. Not having a clue where the dark path leads us. But on the whole, we stumble along bravely, don't you think?

The earth is wise. It has given itself into the keeping of all, and all are therefore accountable.

As long as the Earth can make a spring every year, I can.

Writing poems is my way of celebrating with the world that I have not committed suicide the evening before.

When people become elders - when they're older; they can be old without being an elder, really. They [can] just be old and not very useful.