I can't imagine anybody who ends up being an artist who didn't pass through a time of geekiness.

I've been trying to write. I also spent a lot of time on different campuses, in conversation, helping other writers. That's what I do: I teach them writing.

Once someone gets a little escape velocity going, ain't no play in the world that will keep them from leaving.

That’s life for you. All the happiness you gather to yourself, it will sweep away like it’s nothing. If you ask me I don’t think there are any such things as curses. I think there is only life. That’s enough.

I never wanted to be away from the family. Intuitively, I knew how easily distances could harden and become permanent.

You try every trick in the book to keep her. You write her letters. You quote Neruda. You cancel your Facebook. You give her the passwords to all your e-mail accounts. Because you know in your lying cheater’s heart that sometimes a start is all we ever get.

When she smiles niggers ask her for her hand in marriage; when I smile folks check their wallets.