Poetry is a religion without hope. The poet exhausts himself in its service, knowing that, in the long run, a masterpiece is nothing but the performance of a trained dog on very shaky ground.

Not only should you not accept a prize. You should not try to deserve one either.

Expect neither reward nor beatitude. Return noble waves for ignoble.

Look out! Be on your guard, because alone of all the arts, music moves all around you.

True realism consists in revealing the surprising things which habit keeps covered and prevents us from seeing.

Living is a horizontal fall.

I feel myself inhabited by a force or being -- very little known to me. It gives the orders; I follow.