Art is not a pastime but a priesthood.

What uniform can I wear to hide my heavy heart? It is too heavy. It will always show.

The job of the poet (a job which can't be learned) consists of placing those objects of the visible world which have become invisible due to the glue of habit, in an unusual position which strikes the soul and gives them a tragic force.

Emotion resulting from a work of art is only of value when it is not obtained by sentimental blackmail.

The poet is at the disposal of the night. His role is humble, he must clean house and await its due visitation.

A true poet does not bother to be poetical. Nor does a nursery gardener scent his roses.

Every poem is a coat of arms. It must be deciphered. How much blood, how many tears in exchange for these axes, these muzzles, these unicorns, these torches, these towers, these martlets, these seedlings of stars and these fields of blue!