There's nothing as dear as the sight of ruins.

For a writer only one form of patriotism exists: his attitude toward language.

Poems, novels - these things belong to the nation, to the culture and the people. They've been stolen from the people and now the stolen things are being returned to their owners, but I don't think their owners should be grateful to receive them.

How delightful to find a friend in everyone.

Literature sort of makes your daily operation, your daily conduct, the management of your affairs in the society a bit more complex. And it puts what you do in perspective, and people don't like to see themselves or their activities in perspective. They don't feel quite comfortable with that. Nobody wants to acknowledge the insignificance of his life, and that is very often the net result of reading a poem.

If I can get somewhere, I'm all right. If not, I'm miserable.

For darkness restores what light cannot repair.