When the emotional soul receives a wounding shock, the soul seems to recover as the body recovers. But this is only in appearance. Slowly, slowly the wound to the soul begins to make itself felt, like a bruise, which only slowly deepens its terrible ache, till it fills all the psyche. And when we think we have recovered and forgotten, it is then that the terrible after-effects have to be encountered at their worst.

Human love, human trust, are always perilous, because they break down. The greater the love, the greater the trust, and the greater the peril, the greater the disaster. Because to place absolute trust on another human being is in itself a disaster, both ways, since each human being is a ship that must sail its own course, even if it go in company with another ship.... And yet, love is the greatest thing between human beings.

The world is wonderful and beautiful and good beyond one's wildest imagination.

Love is the hastening gravitation of spirit towards spirit, and body towards body, in the joy of creation.

Art is a form of supremely delicate awareness and atonement — meaning atoneness, the state of being at one with the object.

Obscenity only comes in when the mind despises and fears the body, and the body hates and resists the mind.

Poe tried alcohol, and any drug he could lay his hands on. He also tried any human being he could lay his hands on.