Being happy is more important than anything else.

I moved to New York in the 1970s and started writing when I was at the Whitney Museum Independent Study Program.

It's necessary to start most work alone. But I'm tickled to death when I can pull somebody in or join someone, whether it's borrowing poetry or traveling with an associate.

Sloppy thinking gets worse over time.

That's the test of street art – to see if anybody stopped. People would cross out ones they didn't like and would star others. I liked that people would engage with them.

It's better to be a good person than a famous person.

Expiring for love is beautiful but stupid.