Poetry is a dividend from what you know and what you are.

In a room where people unanimously maintain a conspiracy of silence, one word of truth sounds like a pistol shot.

The voice of passion is better than the voice of reason. The passionless cannot change history.

The purpose of poetry is to remind us how difficult it is to remain just one person, for our house is open, there are no keys in the doors, and invisible guests come in and out at will.

The soul exceeds its circumstances.

Not that I want to be a god or a hero. Just to change into a tree, grow for ages, not hurt anyone.

Consolation Calm down. Both your sins and your good deeds will be lost in oblivion.

Do not feel safe. The poet remembers. You can kill one, but another is born. The words are written down, the deed, the date.

The history of my stupidity would fill many volumes.

When a writer is born into a family, the family is finished.

I am composed of contradictions, which is why poetry is a better form for me than philosophy

PhD is possible at any age!

I never said all Democrats were saloonkeepers. What I said was that all saloonkeepers are Democrats.

Before Jem looks at anyone else he looks at me, and I’ve tried to live so I can look squarely back at him.

Music is life, and life is not a business.

Our lives are quite boring. I spend a lot of time watching Coronation Street and Eastenders.

Democracy has not failed; the intelligence of the race has failed before the problems the race has raised

Sometimes when we're incensed by the rancid tide of injustice, the impulse is to attack. We must avoid this. We have learned that violence as a means is always unsuccessful.

Praise, like gold and diamonds, owes its value only to its scarcity.

Self-censorship, whether known or unknown, is an unwelcome brake on creativity; it stifles self-expression and hence prevents a work from reaching the heights of great art.

Just remember, when you should grab something, grab it; when you should let go, let go.