There is a marvelous peace in not publishing ... I like to write. I love to write. But I write just for myself and my own pleasure.

I don’t think it would have all got me quite so down if just once in a while—just once in a while—there was at least some polite little perfunctory implication that knowledge should lead to wisdom, and that if it doesn't, it's just a disgusting waste of time! But there never is! You never even hear any hints dropped on a campus that wisdom is supposed to be the goal of knowledge. You hardly ever even hear the word 'wisdom' mentioned!

Sometimes I see me dead in the rain.

The true poet has no choice of material. The material plainly chooses him, not he it.

Sensitive. That killed me. That guy Morrow was about as sensitive as a toilet seat.

Did you ever get fed up?' I said. 'I mean did you ever get scared that everything was going to go lousy unless you did something?

If there's one thing I hate, it's the movies. Don't even mention them to me.