As the sky faded to night, her anger dissipated—but not in a healing way, just dulled, like forged iron sizzling in a cold pail of water.

Shards flew everywhere, slicing her hands, her forearm, and cascading to the floor like snow glistening on a winter morning.

Harsh, bitter laughs exploded from her like shrapnel, and she didn’t care who was cut in the process.

Aggression like this demanded slinging the first punch in a bar brawl, firing rounds at a range, or setting a car on fire.

She glanced outside at the sky, filled with clouds and smog. All the pollution, all that hell—even the stars didn’t stand a chance.

As she’d walked along this street, a million stars stretched across an indigo canvas, holding all the freedom she’d yearned for every night.

The Cottage Diner’s homey lights glowed onto black asphalt which just sucked up the beams to spit out more shadows.

Time to make herself scarce because, hell, she didn’t want to pass that thunderhead on her way out.

Blonde hair drawn into a no-nonsense bun, her new manicure the deep red of fresh blood, she’d even donned a blouse and slacks for the occasion, something Neve had forgotten Veronica owned.

The art of peaceful living comes down to living compassionately & wisely.

The culmination of every supreme nationalism is a consummate universalism.

Faith is not opposed to the mind. It’s superior to the mind which is why the renewed mind enhances faith.

The NBA is not for everybody. And looking from the outside in like I did last year, it seems so easy from just watching, but on the court it is a whole different level.

A form of self-delusion.

No one can move without some leadership.

I develop my own film. And I work in spurts. I pile it up.

I don't know how to be a friend. I don't know how to be anything.

I envy the poet. He is encouraged toward drunkenness and wallows with nubile wenches while the painter must endure wretchedness and pain for his art.

Kids like my act because I'm wearing nose glasses. Adults like my act because there's a guy who thinks putting on nose glasses is funny.