The Buddhists say there are 121 states of consciousness. Of these, only three involve misery or suffering. Most of us spend our time moving back and forth between these three.

My plan was to never get married. I was going to be an art monster instead.

My plan was to never get married. I was going to be an art monster instead. Women almost never become art monsters because art monsters only concern themselves with art, never mundane things. Nabokov didn't even fold his own umbrella. Vera licked his stamps for him.

To live in a city is to be forever flinching.

When God is a father, he is said to be elsewhere. When God is a mother, she is said to be everywhere.

You think you want the blue skies, the open road, but really you want the tunnel, you want to know how the story ends.

These bits of poetry that stick to her like burrs.