A picture of my existence... would show a useless wooden stake covered in snow... stuck loosely at a slant in the ground in a ploughed field on the edge of a vast open plain on a dark winter night.

It is strange how little sharpsightedness women possess; they only notice whether they please, then whether they arouse pity, and finally, whether you look for compassion from them. That is all; come to think of it, it may even be enough, generally speaking.

We all have wings, but they have not been of any avail to us and if we could tear them off, we would do so.

You do not need to leave your room. Remain sitting at your table and listen. Do not even listen, simply wait, be quiet, still and solitary. The world will freely offer itself to you to be unmasked, it has no choice, it will roll in ecstasy at your feet.

From a certain point onward there is no longer any turning back. That is the point that must be reached.

Faith, like a guillotine. As heavy, as light.

I made the remark that I don't avoid people in order to live quietly, but rather in order to be able to die quietly.