I can maintain my sense of the sacredness of existence only by understanding my own limitations and losing my self-importance.

I'd rather get a brain tumor than go back to teaching.

You touch things lightly or deeply; you move along because life herself moves, and you can’t stop it.

I used to get criticized for putting food in novels.

I couldn't run a tight schedule, and if you're any good at teaching, you get sucked dry because you like your students and you're trying to help them, but you don't have any time left to write yourself.

Poetry at its best is the language your soul would speak if you could teach your soul to speak.

Birthdays are ghost bounty hunters that track you down to ask, "Que pasa, baby?