It is a sad fact about our culture that a poet can earn much more money writing or talking about his art than he can by practising it.

Thousands have lived without love, not one without water.

Water is the soul of the Earth.

We are all here on earth to help others; what on earth the others are here for I don't know.

We would rather be ruined than changed. We would rather die in our dread than climb the cross of the moment and let our illusions die.

Civilizations should be measured by the degree of diversity attained and the degree of unity retained.

Herds of reindeer move across Miles and miles of golden moss

All sins tend to be addictive, and the terminal point of addiction is damnation.

'Healing,' Papa would tell me, 'is not a science, but the intuitive art of wooing nature.'

Few people take an interest in Iceland, but in those few the interest is passionate.

No good opera plot can be sensible, for people do not sing when they are feeling sensible.

To want is to have a weakness.

Morality binds people into groups. It gives us tribalism, it gives us genocide, war, and politics. But it also gives us heroism, altruism, and sainthood.

When we believe it, we will see it!

This is the urgency: Live! and have your blooming in the noise of the whirlwind.

All men are free and equal in the grave, if it comes to that.

He said, 'Yeah, but will I get chicks? In truckloads?

Contrary to what Kafka does, I always like to refer all of my fictions to the level of reality, He, on the other hand, leaves them at an imaginary level.

There is no such thing as genius, some children are just less damaged than others.

People don't usually compliment your character.

Kindness is very indigestible. It disagrees with very proud stomachs.