You're...writing for other writers to an extent-the dead writers whose work you admire, as well as the living writers you like to read.

In short, everything about his life was different for him at the bottom of that well.

Every great or even every very good writer makes the world over according to his own specifications.

You have to have been in love to write poetry.

Honey, no offense, but sometimes I think I could shoot you and watch you kick.

Then I said something. I said, Suppose, just suppose, nothing had ever happened. Suppose this was for the first time. Just suppose. It doesn't hurt to suppose. Say none of the other had ever happened. You know what I mean? Then what? I said.

there isn't enough of anything as long as we live. But at intervals a sweetness appears and, given a chance prevails.