In history there are no control groups. There is no one to tell us what might have been. We weep over the might have been, but there is no might have been. There never was. It is supposed to be true that those who do not know history are condemned to repeat it. I don't believe knowing can save us. What is constant in history is greed and foolishness and a love of blood and this is a thing that even God--who knows all that can be known--seems powerless to change.

Do you have any notion of how goddamned crazy you are?

Where in this pukehole can a man get a drink? he said

I don't think goodness is something that you learn. If you're left adrift in the world to learn goodness from it, you would be in trouble.

Nothin wounded goes uphill, he said. It just dont happen.

When one has nothing left make ceremonies out of the air and breathe upon them.

Hard weather, says the old man. So let it be. Wrap me in the weathers of the earth, I will be hard and hard. My face will wash rain like the stones.