Following are the writings contained in my first volume of quotations I compiled over a period of a few years in a ratty old leather journal, including the little "Foreword" . I've always treasured these words. Some are my own, but not many. If you actually have the patience to read and consider them all, I congratulate you and hope you walk away with an idea...a feeling...an inspiration...

-R

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

QUOTATION COMPILATION *** Volume One *** 1994-1996

To the Reader:

These quotes are taken from various sources as compiled by myself over a period of a few years. Some are my own words but most are taken from the works of others...minds and spirits far greater than my own. But somehow I feel that having taken them and scribbled them in the once-blank pages of this book. I’ve taken them into my heart, captured them and somehow made them my own. They’ve become personal and precious. Some liberties have been taken -- mostly by mistake -- but sometimes intentionally (changing thous to yous, etc.). Also, I would remind you that ninety-nine percent of the time, a quote is attributed as unknown, it means only that it is unknown to me, not to humankind.

Richard Soppet

December 31, 1996

“Life is but a walking shadow, a poor player that struts and frets his hour upon the stage and is heard no more. It is a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing.”

~ William Shakespeare

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“And if I built this fortress around your heart; encircled you in trenches and barbed wire. Then let me build a bridge; for I cannot fill the chasm. And let me set the battlements on fire.”

~ Sting

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Who am I to blow against the wind?”

~ Unknown

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“And here you stand ... no taller than the grass sees.”

~ Anderson

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Life is made up of marble and mud.”

~ Nathaniel Hawthorne

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Road Not Taken

“Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,

And sorry I could not travel both

And be one traveler, long I stood

And looked down as far as I could

To where it bent in the undergrowth;

Then took the other, as just as fair,

And having perhaps the better claim,

Because it was grassy and wanted wear;

Tough as for that the passing there

Had worn them really about the same,

And both that morning equally lay

In leaves no step had trodden black.

Oh, I kept the first for another day!

Yet knowing how way leads on to way,

I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh

Somewhere ages and ages hence:

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I --

I took the one less traveled by,

And that has made all the difference.”

~ Robert Frost

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Angels are bright still, though the brightest fell.”

~ William Shakespeare

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“A soft answer turneth away wrath.”

~ Proverbs 15:1

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“In this world a man must be either anvil or hammer.”

~ Longfellow

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Some evil beast hath devoured him.”

~ Genesis 37:20

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Life is one vast tangled conglomeration, inflamed with passion.”

~ Ugo Betti

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Anger is my meat; I sup upon myself.”

~ William Shakespeare

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“I could be lost inside their lies without a trace, but every time I close my eyes ... I see your face.”

~ Sting

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“We, the unwilling, led by the unknowing, are doing the impossible for the ungrateful. We have done so much, for so long, with so little - that we are now qualified to do anything with nothing.”

~ The Selkirk Grace

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“I have heard the mermaids singing, each to each.”
~ T. S. Eliot

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“As mad as a hatter.”

(Hatters were poisoned by the mercurial compounds formerly used in hat-making. Their speech was incoherent, their gait unsteady, and their minds confused.)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Which hurts, and is desired.”

~ William Shakespeare

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Out of the mouths of babes and sucklings hast thou ordained strength.”

~ Psalms 8:2

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Life is a stimulating mixture of order and haphazardry. The sun rises and sets on schedule, but the wind blows where it listeth.”

~ Robert Louis Stevenson

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“But I, that am not shaped for sportive tricks, nor made to court an amorous looking glass; I, that am rudely stamped, and want love’s majesty - to strut before a wanton nymph; Why, I in this weak, piping time of peace, have no delight to pass away the time, unless to spy my shadow in the sun.”

~ William Shakespeare

The Tragedy of King Richard the Third

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“It is true that a little philosophy inclines men’s minds to atheism, but depth in philosophy brings men’s minds about to God.”

~ Francis Bacon

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Misery acquaints a man with strange bedfellows.”

~ William Shakespeare

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“All my instincts, they return.

And the grand facade so soon will burn.

Without a noise, without my pride -

I reach out from the inside.

In your eyes ... I see the doorway to a thousand churches.”

~ Peter Gabriel

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“The time has come, the Walrus said,

To talk of many things:

Of shoes and ships and sealing wax,

Of cabbages and kings;

And why the sea is boiling hot -

And whether pigs have wings.”

~ Lewis Carroll

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“The course of true love never did run smooth.”

~ William Shakespeare

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“There’s no getting blood out of a turnip.”

~ Frederick Marryat

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Oh, the yielding marble of her snowy breast.”

~ Edmund Waller

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Chastity - the most unnatural of the sexual perversions.”

~ Aldous Huxley

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Do I have to tell the story of a thousand rainy days since we first met?”

~ Sting

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“‘Tis strange what a man may do, and a woman yet think him an angel.”

~ William Shakespeare

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Pains of love be sweeter far

Than all other pleasures are.”

~ Dryden

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“I don’t know what a moron is,

And I don’t give a damn.

I’m thankful that I’m not one --

My God! Perhaps I am.”

~ Henry Pratt Fairchild

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Nature has given to man nothing of more value than shortness of life.”

~ Pliny the Elder

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“I am but mad north-northwest;

When the wind is southerly,

I know a hawk from a handsaw.”

~ William Shakespeare

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Man has his will -- but woman has her way.”

~ O. W. Holmes

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“There is a certain method in his madness”

~ Horace

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Desire hath no rest.”

~ Robert Burton

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“A tower stands ...

It took years to build, through torrents of rain and bitter cold ... in warm summer skies and hot breezes. Each stone was lifted, and tenderly placed and mortared. The tower began to reach toward the heavens. Finally whole ... with flags unfurled ... we took shelter in it. Fixing the cracks and digging the moat around it to keep it safe. Inside, we drank and laughed, and loved and cried and gave breath to many precious moments. A thousand battles were fought to defend our tower, but time forced us to abandon it ... time and vicious circumstance.

It still stands today.

I pass it, now and again, in my travels.

One day I hope to go there again ...

And climb familiar stairs ...

And clear away the dust.

I will light a fire ...

And open some wine ...

And wait a while for you to come.”

~ Richard Soppet

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“The wretched desert takes it’s form, the jackal proud and tight. In search of you, I feel my way through the slowest, heaving night. In the swirling, curling storm of desire, unuttered words hold fast. With reptile tongue, the lightning lashes towers built to last. The earthly power sucks shadowed milk from sleepy tears undone. From nippled skin as smooth as silk, the bugles blown as one.

Come down ... come talk to me.”

~ Peter Gabriel

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“That orbed maiden with white fire laden, whom mortals call the moon.”

~ Shelley

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“He that wipes the child’s nose, kisses the mother’s cheek.”

~ George Herbert

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“The ropy drivel of rheumatic brains.”

~ William Gifford

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Strains that might create a soul under the ribs of death.”

~ John Milton

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“It’s the warm beast of desire that lies curled up in our loins and stretches itself with fierce gentleness.”

~ Albert Camus

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“A little nonsense now and then

Is relished by the wisest men.”

~ Willie Wonka

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“A coward’s fear can make a coward valiant.”

~ Thomas Fuller

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Eternity was in our lips and eyes, bliss in our brows bent.”

~ William Shakespeare

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“There’s a dragon among the chambermaids.”

~ Tobias Smollett

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“The Devil as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour.”

~ I Peter 5:8

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“I labor to be brief -- and manage to be obscure.”

~ Horace

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“It is because of men that women don’t like each other.”

~ La Bruyére

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Doubt the stars are fire;

Doubt that the sun doth move,

Doubt truth to be a liar;

But never doubt I love.”

~ William Shakespeare

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Those who dream by day are cognizant of many things which escape those who dream only by night.”

~ Edgar Allan Poe

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Some people can read ‘War And Peace,’ and walk away empty. While others can read the back of a chewing gum wrapper and walk away with the secrets to the universe.”

~ Winston O’Boogie

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Something in me, dark and sticky, all the time it’s getting strong.”

~ Peter Gabriel

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“I could be bounded in a nutshell and count myself a king of infinite space, were it not that I have bad dreams.”

~ William Shakespeare

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“The slothful man saith, There is a lion in the way; a lion in the street.”

~ Proverbs 26:13

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“That which is bitter to endure may be sweet to remember.”

~ Thomas Fuller

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Man is the powder, woman the spark.”

~ Lope de Vega

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“What is mind? No matter.

What is matter? Never mind.”

~ Thomas Hewitt Key

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Doth the moon care for the barking of a dog?”

~ Robert Burton

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Some say the world will end in fire,

Some say in ice.

From what I’ve tasted of desire,

I hold with those who favor fire.

But if I had to perish twice,

I think I know enough of hate,

To say that for destruction, ice

Is also great ... and would suffice.”

~ Robert Frost

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“We are dust and shadow.”

~ Horace

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“I have spread my dreams under your feet;

Tread softly because you tread on my dreams.”

~ W. B. Yeats

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“What a piece of work is a man. How noble in reason. How infinite in faculty. In form and moving how express and admirable. In action how like an angel! In apprehension how like a god! The beauty of the world, the paragon of animals! And yet, to me, what is this quintessence of dust.”

~ William Shakespeare

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“He is his own worst enemy.”

~ Cicero

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“The light that lies in woman’s eyes has been my heart’s undoing.”

~ Moore

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Kisses given for love and passion are the brandy of the damned.”

~ Richard Soppet

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“When my fist clenches, crack it open, before I use it and lose my cool. When I smile, tell me some bad news before I laugh and act like a fool. And if I swallow anything evil, put your finger down my throat. And if I shiver, please give me a blanket -- keep me warm, let me wear your coat.”

~ Peter Townshend

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“For the hand that rocks the cradle

Is the hand that rules the world.”

~ William Ross Wallace

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“There are countless actions which appear ridiculous, whose hidden motives are very wise and weighty.”

~ La Rouchefoucauld

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Night has a thousand eyes.”

~ John Lyly

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Fools rush in where angels fear to tread.”

~ Alexander Pope

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Now is the very witching hour of night,

When churchyards yawn and hell itself breathes out contagion to this world.”

~ William Shakespeare

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“There is no great genius without a touch of madness.”

~ Seneca

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“And thus the heart will breaks, yet brokenly live on.”

~ Byron

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Better to reign in hell than serve in heaven.”

~ John Milton

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“He that lives in hope dances without music.”

~ G. Herbert

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“As for me, all I know is that I know nothing.”

~ Socrates

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“The skies were ashen and sober;

The leaves were crisped.

The leaves were withering.

It was night in the lonesome October.”

~ Edgar Allen Poe

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“I am for those who believe in loose delights --

I share the midnight orgies of young men;

I dance with the dancers, and drink with the drinkers.”

~ Walt Whitman

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“If we resist our passions, it is more from their weakness than from our strength.”

~ La Rochefoucauld

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“The best way out is always through.”

~ Robert Frost

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Nothing fills the blackness that has seeped into my chest. I need you in my blood ... I am forsaking all the rest.”

~ Etheridge

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Once apparently the chief concern and masterpiece of the gods, the human race now begins to bear the aspect of an accidental by-product of their vast, inscrutable and probably nonsensical operations.”

~ H. L. Mencken

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“There are many things of which a wise man might wish to be ignorant.”

~ Emerson

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“If you can keep your head about you when everyone around you are losing theirs and blaming it on you ... Yours is the earth and everything in it.”

~ Rudyard Kipling

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Philosophy is a blind man in a dark room looking for a black cat that isn’t there.”

~ Lord Bowen

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Deign, O Lord, rescue me;

O Lord, make haste to help me.

Let all be put to shame and confusion

Who seek to snatch away my life.

Let them be turned back in disgrace who desire my ruin.

But may all who seek you ... Exult and be glad in you,

And may those who love your salvation say ever, ‘The Lord be glorified,’

You are my help and my deliverer;

O my God, hold not back!”

~ Psalm 40:14

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Devil and the deep blue behind me

Vanish in the air you’ll never find me

I will turn your face to alabaster

And then you will find your servant is your master.”

~ Sting

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Earth changes, but thy soul and God stand sure.”

~ Robert Browning

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“The body of a dead enemy always smells sweet.”

~ Aulus Vitellius

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“The sly-slow hours shall not determinate the dateless limit of thy dear exile.”

~ William Shakespeare

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“There are fairies at the bottom of our garden.”

~ Rose Fyleman

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Tell me where is fancy bred,

In the heart or in the head?”

~ William Shakespeare

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“A radical is a man with both feet planted firmly in the air.”

~ F. D. Roosevelt

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“My strength is the strength of ten,

Because my heart is pure.”

~ Tennyson

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Into each life some rain must fall,

Some days must be dark and dreary.”

~ Longfellow

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Chaos is the score upon which reality is written.”

~ Henry Miller

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“The young lions roar after their prey, and seek their meat from God.”

~ Psalms 104:21

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Candy is dandy, but liquor is quicker.”

~ O. Nash

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Pillowed upon my love’s ripening breast, to feel forever, in sweet unrest, still to hear her tender-taken breath ... and so live ever - or else sworn to death.”

~ Keats

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“I have immortal longings in me.”

~ William Shakespeare

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Quiet as a nun. Breathless with adoration.”

~ Wordsworth

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“As reason is a rebel unto faith,

So passion unto reason.”

~ Sir Thomas Browne

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Even in religious fervor, there is a touch of animal heat.”

~ Walt Whitman

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“It is the wisdom of rats that will be sure to leave a house somewhat before it falls.”

~ Francis Bacon

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“The horror no less than the charm of real life consists precisely in the recurrent actualization of the inconceivable.”

~ Aldous Huxley

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Love that is not madness is not love.”

~ Calderon

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“To sum up:

1) The cosmos is a gigantic fly-wheel making 10,000 revolutions a minute.

2) Man is a sick fly taking a dizzy ride on it.

3) Religion is the theory that the wheel was designed and set spinning to give him the ride.”

~ H. L. Mencken

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“He has been eight years upon a project for extracting sunbeams out of cucumbers.”

~ Jonathan Swift

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“I sighed as a lover, I obeyed as a son.”

~ Edward Gibbon

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“I desire to reason with God.”

~ Job 13:3

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Better to be with the dead ... than on the torture of the mind to lie in restless ecstasy.”

~ William Shakespeare

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Do you wish people to speak well of you?

Then do not speak at all yourself.”

~ Pascal

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Women do most delight in revenge.”

~ Sir Thomas Browne

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Wine gives courage and makes men apt for passion.”

~ Ovid

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Imagination is more important than knowledge.”

~ Albert Einstein

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“A is for parrot which we can plainly see.

B is for glasses which we can plainly see.

C is for plastic which we can plainly see.

D is for Doris.

E is for binoculars, I’ll get it in five.

F is for Ethel who lives next door.

G is for orange which we love to eat when we can get them because they come from abroad.

H is for England and (Heather)

I is for monkey we see in the tree

J is for parrot which we can plainly see.

K is for shoetop we wear to the ball.

L is for land because brown.

M is for Venezuela where the oranges come from.

N is for Brazil near Venezuela (very near).

O is for football which we kick about a bit.

T is for Tommy who won the war.

Q is a garden which we can plainly see.

R is for intestines which hurt when we dance.

S is for pancake or whole-wheat bread.

U is for Ethel who lives on the hill.

P is arab and her sister will.

V is for me.

W is for lighter which never lights.

X is for easter - have one yourself.

Y is a crooked letter and you can’t straighten it.

Z is for apple which we can plainly see.

This is my story both humble and true.

Take it to pieces and mend it with glue.”

~ John Lennon

Feb. 1969

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“With every prison blown to dust, my enemies walk free; though all my kingdoms turn to sand and fall into the sea. I’m mad about you ... I’m mad about you.”

~ Sting

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Love is merely a madness; and I tell you, deserves as well a dark house and whip as madmen do; and the reason why they are not punished and cured is that the lunacy is so ordinary that the whippers are in love too.”

~ William Shakespeare

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“I love those who long for the impossible.”

~ Goethe

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Not to know me argues yourselves unknown.”

~ John Milton

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Vous et nul altre ... por tous jour.”

~ Posey ring statement

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Three may keep a secret if two of them are dead.”

~ Benjamin Franklin

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Stolen waters are sweet, and bread eaten in secret is pleasant.”

~ Proverbs 9:17

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“All the rivers run into the sea, yet the sea is not full.”

~ Ecclesiastes 1:7

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Scratching ... begins with pleasure, and ends with pain.”

~ Thomas Fuller

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“The devil can cite Scripture for his purpose.”

~ William Shakespeare

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Disdain and scorn rode sparkling in her eyes.”

~ William Shakespeare

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“The wallpaper with which the men of science have covered the world of reality is falling to tatters.”

~ Henry Miller

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“He jests at scars that never felt a wound.”

~ William Shakespeare

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Blows are sarcasms turned stupid.”

~ George Eliot

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Sanity is a madness put to good uses.”

~ George Santayana

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“The worst of madmen is a saint run mad.”

~ Alexander Pope

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Let the gods avenge themselves.”

~ A Roman legal maxim

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“There’s a fascination frantic

In a ruin that’s romantic;

Do you think you are sufficiently decayed?”

~ W. S. Gilbert.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Die of a rose in aromatic pain.”

~ Alexander Pope

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“A fool must now and then be right by chance.”

~ William Cowper

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Dieu et mon droit.” (F)

~ Richard I (The Lion-Hearted)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Infinite riches in a little room.”

~ Christopher Marlowe

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“He repents in thorns, that sleeps in beds of roses.”

~ Francis Quarles

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Incensed with indignation Satan stood

Unterrified, and like a comet burned.”

~ John Milton

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“God defend me from myself.”

~ Montaigne

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“A ship under sail, a man in complete armour, and a woman with a big belly are the three handsomest sights in the world.”

~ James Howell

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“The vigorous are no better than the lazy during one half of life, for all men are alike when asleep.”

~ Aristotle

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“The prince of darkness is a gentleman.”

~ William Shakespeare

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“No cloud above, no earth below --

A universe of sky and snow.”

~ J. G. Whittier

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“A snake lurks in the grass.”

~ Vergil

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Whoever is delighted in solitude is either a wild beast or a god.”

~ Francis Bacon

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Fierce wars and faithful loves shall moralize my song.”

~ Edmund Spenser

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“It is good to grow wise by sorrow.”

~ Aeschylus

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“When the heart is afire, some sparks will fly out of the mouth.”

~ Thomas Fuller

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“I’m haunted by vision, driven mad, on occasion, by desire. When October winds bring images and memories of the taste of red wine, strong coffee, chocolate and oriental food. Brown eyes with stark, black lashes. Phrases in French and snatches of astrology. Crimson lips and raven hair. Silver jewelry, white musk and baby powder. Powerful, slender limbs, alabaster breasts, curved legs and what lies between. Tiny hands. Black sheets and painted toenails. Saxophone music, her haunting laughter and hypnotic smile. Incense smoke and long whispered midnight conversation. Seashore stones, gentle breaths and faded jeans. The colour purple. I’m haunted by visions, driven mad, on occasion, by desire. When October comes ... and Autumn winds carry images and memories of ...”

~ Richard Soppet

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“The morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy.”

~ Job 38:7

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“’Twas strange, ‘twas passing strange;

‘Twas pitiful, ‘twas wondrous pitiful.”

~ William Shakespeare

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“With unwearied fingers drawing out

The lines of life, from living knowledge hid.”

~ Spenser

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Against stupidity the gods themselves fight in vain.”

~ Schiller

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Often a purple patch or two is stuck on a serious work to give it a touch of color.”

~ Horace

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Sleep, the brother of death.”

~ Hesiod

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“To succeed one should seem a fool, but be wise.”

~ Montesquieu

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Horas non numero nisi serenas.” (L)

- Engraved on a sundial in Venice

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“It is true, I never assisted the sun materially in his rising; but, doubt not, it was of importance only to be present at it.”

~ Thoreau

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“There is a superstition in avoiding superstition.”

~ Francis Bacon

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“In a good Scotsman, a hawk’s eye, a lion’s heart and a lady’s hand.”

~ Unknown

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Wine is an old man’s milk.”

~ Antonio Perez

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“High in front advanced, the brandished sword of God before them blazed, fierce as a comet.”

~ John Milton

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“We spend our years as a tale that is told.”

~ Psalms 90:09

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Nothing that is worth knowing can be taught.”

~ Oscar Wilde

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Television ... chewing gum for the eyes.”

~ John Mason Brown

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Fluctus in simpulo.” (L)

~ Cicero

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“The woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat.”

~ Genesis 3:12

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Cogito, ergo sum.” (L)

~ Descartes

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“My brain worked with a dim and undetermined sense of unknown modes of being.”

~ Wordsworth

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Time goes, you say? Ah no!

Time stays, we go.”

~ Austin Dobson

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Tobacco is a dirty weed. I like it.

It satisfies no normal need. I like it.

It makes you thin, it makes you lean,

It takes the hair right off your bean.

It’s the worst damn stuff I’ve ever seen.

I like it.”

~ Graham Lee Hemminger

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“If I be served such another trick, I’ll have my brains taken out and buttered, and give them to a dog for a new-year’s gift.”

~ William Shakespeare

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Geometry deceives; the hurricane alone is true.”

~ Victor Hugo

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“The universe is one of God’s thoughts.”

~ Schiller

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“When valor preys on reason, it eats the sword it fights with.”

~ William Shakespeare

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“I have seen my devils, sir. I have held their icy hands and kissed their lips. You think I am a child? My demons lie slain. You must embrace your own.”

~ Richard Soppet

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Nemo me impune lacessit.” (L)

~ Unknown

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Seemed washing his hands with invisible soap

In imperceptible water.”

~ Thomas Hood

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Tempus fugit.” (L)

~ Ovid

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“The fall of dropping water wears away the stone.”

~ Lucretius

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Many can brook the weather that love not the wind.”

~ William Shakespeare

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“I did not weep; I had turned to stone inside.”

~ Dante

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“The wicked flee when no man pursueth, but the righteous are bold as a lion.”

~ Proverbs 28:1

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“The wheel is come full circle.”

~ William Shakespeare

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Let not thy will roar, when thy power can but whisper.”

~ Thomas Fuller

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“You never miss the water till the well runs dry.”

~ Rowland Howard

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“As much pity is to be taken of a woman weeping as of a goose going barefoot.”

~ Robert Burton

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Though wickedness be sweet in his mouth, he hides it under his tongue.”

~ Job 20:12

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“The Devil sends the wicked wind

To blow girl’s skirts up high,

But God is just and sends the dust

To blind the bad man’s eye.”

~ Unknown

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“The sweet poison of misused wine.”

~ John Milton

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“I have been a stranger in a strange land.”

~ Exodus 2:22

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“All human wisdom is summed up in two words -- wait and hope.”

~ Alexandre Dumas

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“O, that my tongue were in the thunder’s mouth! Then with a passion would I shake the world.”

~ William Shakespeare

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Much study is a weariness of the flesh.”

~ Ecclesiastes 12:12

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“A woman’s mind is cleaner than a man’s -- she changes it oftener.”

~ Oliver Herford

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“I will drink yet. I will cool my lips, cracked and chaste. Anvil to her hammer, kindling for her flame, between Scylla and Charibdes I’ll find my way home. And if not, I will live and nothing more. And close my ears to the pleas of my own thirst.”

~ Richard Soppet

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow,

Creeps in this petty pace from day to day

To the last syllable of recorded time,

And all our yesterdays have lighted fools

The way to dusty death.”

~ William Shakespeare

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“For the lips of a strange woman drop as a honeycomb, and her mouth is smoother than oil.”

~ Proverbs 5:3

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Sleeping is no mean art: for it’s sake one must stay awake all day.”

~ Nietzsche

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“If these are the best years of my life, I must have third-degree burns in my future.”

~ Unknown

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Alone as Lucifer at war with heaven!”

~ Edmond Rostand

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Boys should abstain from wine until their eighteenth year, for it is wrong to add fire to fire.”

~ Plato

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.”

~ Psalms 111:10

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“’Tis the old wind in the old anger.”

~ A. E. Houseman

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“O, delicious, damned, dear, destructive woman!”

~ William Congreve

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“In the desert, I saw a creature, naked, bestial, who, squatting upon the ground,

Held his heart in his hands,

And ate of it. I said, ‘Is it good, friend?’

‘It is bitter -- bitter,’ he answered. ‘But I like it because it is bitter, and because it is my heart.’”

~ Stephen Crane

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Some folks are wise, and some otherwise.”

~ Tobias Smollett

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Women, like flames, have a destroying power -- never to be quenched till they devour.”

~ Congreve

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“‘In that direction,’ said the Cheshire Cat, waving it’s right paw around, ‘lives a Hatter: and in that direction,’ waving the other paw, ‘lives a March Hare. Visit either you like: they’re both mad.’

‘But I don’t want to go among mad people,’ Alice remarked.

‘Oh, you can’t help that,’ said the Cat. ‘We’re all mad here. I’m mad. You’re mad.’

‘How do you know I’m mad?’ said Alice.

‘You must be,’ said the Cheshire Cat, ‘or you wouldn’t have come here.’”

~ Lewis Carroll

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Character is what you are in the dark.”

~ Unknown

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Now that I have found you, in the cool fire of your evening smile -- the shade of your parasol ... and your love flows through me. Though I drink at your pool ... I burn for you ... I burn for you.

You and I are lovers, and nighttime falls around our bed -- in peace we sleep entwined and your love flows through me. Though an ocean soothes my head ... I burn for you ... I burn for you.

Stars that fall from black skies, as ancient rocks are turning -- quiet fills the room ... and your love flows through me.

Though I lie here so still ... I burn for you ... I burn for you.

I burn for you.”

~ Sting

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Quoth the raven, ‘Nevermore.’”

~ Edgar Allan Poe

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“There is only one way to be happy by means of the heart -- to have none.”

~ Paul Bourget

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“I saw a man pursuing the horizon;

Round and round they sped.

I was disturbed at this;

I accosted the man.

‘It is futile,’ I said, ‘You can never --’

‘You lie!’ he cried,

And ran on.”

~ Stephen Crane

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Talent is a flame; genius, a fire.”

~ Bern Williams

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Use soft words and hard arguments.”

~ English Proverb

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“The worst prison is a closed heart.”

~ Pope John Paul II

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Any child can tell you that the sole purpose of a middle name is so he can tell when he’s really in trouble.”

~ Dennis Fakes

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Anyone can hold the helm when the sea is calm.”

~ Publilius Syrus

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“God lay dead in heaven;

Angels sang the hymn of the end;

Purple winds went moaning,

Their wings drip-dripping

With blood

That fell upon the earth.

It, groaning thing,

Turned black and sank.

Then from the far caverns

Of dead sins

Came monsters, livid with desire.

They fought,

Wrangled over the world.

A morsel.

But of all sadness this was sad --

A woman’s arms tried to shield

The head of a sleeping man

From the jaws of the final beast.”

~ Stephen Crane

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“I stood upon a high place,

And saw below, many devils

Running, leaping, and carousing in sin.

One looked up, grinning,

And said, ‘Comrade! Brother!’”

~ Stephen Crane

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“And the angel Israfel, whose heartstrings are a lute, and who has the sweetest voice of all God’s creatures.”

~ Koran

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“I shall die, but that is all I shall do for Death.

I will not map him the route to any man’s door.”

~ Edna St. Vincent Millay

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Flamis acribus addictis!” (L)

~ Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“So I watch you wash your hair ...

Underwater, unaware ...”

~ Peter Gabriel

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Many red devils ran from my heart

And out onto the page.

They were so tiny

The pen could mash them.

And many struggled in the ink.

It was strange

To write in this red muck

Of things from my heart.”

~ Stephen Crane

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“I come to you ... defenses down ... with the trust of a child.”

~ Peter Gabriel

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“While the angels, all pallid and wan,

Uprising, unveiling, affirm that the play is the tragedy, ‘Man,’

And it’s hero, the Conqueror Worm.”

~ Edgar Allan Poe

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“The only emperor is the emperor of ice cream.”

~ Wallace Stevens

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“The angel Gabriel from Heaven came, his wings as drifted snow, his eyes as flame.”

~ Sting

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“It wasn’t in the words that kept sticking in their throats.

It wasn’t with the angels in their quilted coats.

These battered wings still kick up dust.

Seduced by the noise and the bright things that glisten.

The further on I go, the less I know.

I can find ... only us ... breathing.

Only us ... sleeping.

Only us ... dreaming.

Only us.

I hear you calling me.”

~ Peter Gabriel

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Many workmen built a huge ball of masonry upon a mountain top.

Then they went to the valley below,

And turned to behold their work.

‘It is grand,’ they said;

They loved the thing.

Of a sudden, it moved:

It came upon them swiftly;

It crushed them all to blood.

But some had opportunity to squeal.”

~ Stephen Crane

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“I had a thought for no one’s but your ears:

That you were beautiful, and that I strove

To love you in the old high way of love;

That it had all seemed happy, and yet I’d grown as weary-hearted as that hollow moon.”

~ W. B. Yeats

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“The sabbath rang slowly in the pebbles of the holy streams.”

~ Dylan Thomas

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“So high above the world tonight

The angels watch us sleeping

And underneath a bridge of stars

We dream in safety’s keeping.”

~ Sting

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Upon the bank, she stood

In the cool

Of spent emotions.

She felt, among the leaves,

The dew

Of old devotions.

A breath upon her hand

Muted the night.”

~ Wallace Stevens

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Time held me green and dying

Though I sang in my chains like the sea.”

~ Dylan Thomas

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Much Madness is divinest Sense.”

~ Emily Dickinson

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“A terrible beauty is born.”

~ William Butler Yeats

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“The moon rattle like a fragment of angry candy.”

~ e. e. cummings

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“We real cool.

We left school.

We lurk late.

We strike straight.

We sing sin.

We thin gin.

We jazz june.

We die soon.”

~ Gwendolyn Brooks

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“This is the fire in between the first awareness of desire.”

~ Margaret Holley

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“After weeks of watching the roof leak, I fixed it tonight ... by moving a single board.”

~ Gary Snyder

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“I’m going to murder you with love;

I’m going to suffocate you with embraces;

I’m going to hug you, bone by bone,

Till you’re dead all over.

Then I will dine on your delectable marrow.”

~ C. Kizer

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“With her venom

Irresistible and bittersweet that loosener of limbs, Love reptillian ... strikes me down.”

~ Unknown

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“A man said to the universe:

‘Sir, I exist!’

‘However,’ replied the universe,

‘The fact has not created in me

A sense of obligation.’”

~ Stephen Crane

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“The Holy Ghost over the bent world broods with warm breast and with ah! bright wings.”

~ G. M. Hopkins

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“She lived in storm and strife,

Her soul had such desire.”

~ W. B. Yeats

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“He has found out your bed

Of crimson joy,

And his dark secret love

Does thy life destroy.”

~ Unknown

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“A spectacle like that, full of so much human truth and with such a fearful lesson, was bound to defeat without even trying ... a haughty angel who scarcely deigned to look at mortals. Besides, the few miracles attributed to the angel showed a certain mental disorder, like the blind man who didn’t recover his sight but grew three new teeth, or the paralytic who didn’t get to walk but almost won the lottery, and the leper whose sores sprouted sunflowers. Those consolation miracles, which were more like mocking fun, had already ruined the angel’s reputation.”

~ Garcia Marquez

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“The most unfortunate invalids on earth came to the angel in search of health: a poor woman who since childhood had been counting her heartbeats and had run out of numbers; a Portuguese man who couldn’t sleep because the noise of the stars disturbed him; a sleepwalker who got up at night to undo the things he had done while awake; and many others with less serious ailments.”

~ Garcia Marquez

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Cyrano: ‘I ... I am going to be a storm -- a flame ... I need to fight whole armies all alone; I have ten hearts; I have a hundred arms; I feel too strong to war with mortals -- Bring me giants!!!’”

~ Edmond Rostand

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Oderint, dum metuant.”

~ Accius

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Then war broke out in heaven; Michael and his angels battled the dragon. The dragon and his demons were overpowered and lost their place in heaven. The huge ancient serpent known as Satan, the seducer of the whole world, was driven out; he was hurled down to earth and his minions with him.”

~ Revelation 12:7

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Hell to ships, hell to men, hell to cities.”

~ Aeschylus

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Even God cannot change the past.”

~ Agathon

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Had I been present at the Creation, I would have given some useful hints for the better ordering of the universe.”

~ Alfonso the Wise

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Defence, not defiance.”

~ Unknown

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Up the airy mountain,

Down the rushy glen,

We dare not go hunting,

For fear of little men.”

~ William Allingham

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“From ghoulies and ghosties and long-legged beasties,

And things that go bump in the night,

Good Lord -- deliver us!”

~ Unknown

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“No beauty she does miss,

When all her robes are on;

But beauty’s self she is,

When all her robes are gone.”

~ The Masque of Balliol

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“O God, if there be a God, save my soul, if I have a soul.”

~ Prayer of a common soldier

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Chevalier sans peur et sans reproche.” (F)

~ Unknown

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Know thyself.”

~ Inscribed on the temple of Apollo

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“If ever I ate a good supper at night,

I dreamed of the devil, and woke in a fright.”

~ Christopher Anstey

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Vox et praeterea nihil.” (L)

~ Unknown

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Give me somewhere to stand, and I will move the earth.”

~ Archimedes

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Truth sits upon the lips of dying men.”

~ Matthew Arnold

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“A beautiful and ineffectual angel, beating in the void his luminous wings in vain.”

~ Unknown

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“It is my pleasure to displease. I love hatred. Imagine how it feels to face the volley of a thousand angry eyes -- the bile of envy and the froth of fear spattering little drops about me.”

~ Edmond Rostand

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“The fever called ‘living’ is conquered at last.”

~ Edgar Allan Poe

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“The sexual embrace can be compared only to music and prayer.”

~ Lord Byron

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“The truth is rarely pure and never simple.”

~ Oscar Wilde

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“It is not enough to conquer, one must know how to seduce.”

~ Voltaire

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“ ... In our sleep, pain, which cannot forget, falls drop by drop upon the heart until, in our own despair, against our will, comes wisdom through the awful grace of God ...”

~ Aeschylus

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam.”

~ Motto of The Society of Jesus

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Grace me guide.”

~ Forbes clan creed

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“I don’t care what they think ...

I don’t care what they say ...

What do they know about this love anyway?”

~ M. Etheridge

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“I love you, my queen. And while you live ... I shall love no other.”

~ Sir Lancelot

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“I love this tiny little hand ... and I love this tiny little person.”

~ John Lennon

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Sometimes the snow comes down in June.

Sometimes the sun goes round the moon ...

So now we’re standing face to face.

Isn’t this world a crazy place?

Just when I thought our chance had passed ...

You go and save the best for last.”

~ Unknown

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“In a hundred years from now

They will attempt to tell us how

A scientific means to bliss

Will supercede the human kiss

A subatomic chain

Will maybe galvanize the brain

A biochemic trance

Will eliminate romance

Why ever should we care

When there are arrows in the air

Through my lover’s ancient art

They go straight to my heart

A future sugar coated pill

Would give our lovers time to kill

I think they’re working far too much

For the redundancy of touch

But what will make me yours

Are a million deadly spores

Formed by lover’s ancient art

That go straight to my heart.”

~ Sting

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“I looked to the sky; I offered my prayers.

I asked him for guidance and strength ...

But the simple beliefs of a simple man ...

Lay in his hands and on my head.”

~ Phillip Collins

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Always keep one hand on your gun, the other in the cookie jar ... all without ever once removing your head from the clouds.”

~ Richard Soppet

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Embrace the mud!”

~ Richard Soppet

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Nearby, a dimly outlined form of a wiry man sits atop an outcropping of rock near a gentle sea. His breathing is slow and even. His slightly inhuman eyes turn toward the sky and he speaks ...

‘You have your own special way ... like a bridge ... a place where the cool water runs underneath, ragged sail and black sky. Weary wind and weathered, salty wood. Shale. Poor child. Small soul that must learn the lessons of the ages ... come to my arms and someday we’ll laugh together of the heart now broken ... but now ... close your eyes ... grit your teeth ... for now I must teach and reveal. I must stick thorns in your side and lock you alone in the dark to throb in agony ... and if you can, you will grow ... or you will break, and be lost to me. But either way, it must be done ... and I will see the beauty ... the sad humour in your human tragedy. So now let me squeeze your heart till it bursts, my little cherub ... and I will laugh ... you would too if you were me ... for I am known only as Rabbitooth ... and I am on the job small one. May God bless you.”

~ Richard Soppet

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“We love life, not because we are used to living ... but because we are used to loving.”

~ Nietzsche

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“This world is a comedy to those that think, a tragedy to those who feel.”

~ Horace Walpole

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Beware the fury of a patient man.”

~ Dryden

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Wynken, Blynken and Nod one night

Sailed off in a wooden shoe.

Sailed on a river of crystal light ...

Into a sea of dew.

‘Where are you going, and what do you wish?’

The old Moon asked the three.

‘We have come to fish for the herring-fish

That live in this beautiful sea.

Nets of silver and gold have we,’ said Wynken, Blynken and Nod.

Wynken and Blynken are two little eyes

And Nod is a little head.

And the wooden shoe that sailed the skies

Is a wee-one’s trundle bed.

Now shut your eyes while Mother sings

Of wonderful sights that be ...

And you shall see the beautiful things

As you rock in the misty sea.

Where the old shoe rocked the fishermen three ...

Wynken, Blynken and Nod.”

~ Eugene Field

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Life ... like a child, laughs, shaking it’s rattle of death as it runs.”

~ R. Tagore

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“When you find yourself walking on thin ice ... you might as well dance.”

~ Kevin Soppet

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Everybody desires love ... a form of chemical madness.”

~ Unknown

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Why, what an ass I am! This is most brave. That I ... must, like a whore, unpack my heart with words.”

~ William Shakespeare

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“You remain ... my power, my pleasure, my pain.”

~ Seal

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Brain: an apparatus with which we think that we think.”

~ Ambrose Bierce

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“ ... The banner may be torn, and the wind’s gotten colder.

Perhaps I’ve grown a little cynical.

But I know not matter what the waitress brings ...

I shall drink it and always be full.

My cup shall always be full.”

~ John Popper

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“There are those who so ardently and passionately desire a thing that, from dread of losing it, they leave nothing undone to make them lose it.”

~ La Bruyere

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“And all our yesterdays have lighted fools ... the way to dusty death.”

~ William Shakespeare

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Why should a man, whose blood is warm within, sit like his Grandsire cut in alabaster?”

~ William Shakespeare

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“What would youth be without love?”

~ Byron

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Take her up tenderly,

Life her with care;

Fashioned so slenderly,

Young, and so fair.”

~ Thomas Hood

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“The female of the species is more deadly than the male.”

~ Kipling

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“The strongest and the fiercest spirit ...

That fought in Heaven, ... now fiercer by despair.”

~ John Milton

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Great Pan is dead!”

~ Plutarch

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Heaven lies about us in our infancy.”

~ Wordsworth

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“And when he falls, he falls like Lucifer ... never to hope again.”

~ William Shakespeare

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Credo quia impossible.” (L)

~ Tertullian

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“It would not grieve him to be hanged, if he might be strangled in her garters.”

~ Robert Burton

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Drink to me only with your eyes. Take the cup to your lips and fill it with kisses, and give it so to me ... and I’ll not look for wine.”

~ Philostratus

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“There is so much to laugh at in this vale of tears.”

~ Sudermann

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“God is love, I dare say. But what a mischievous Devil love is.”

~ Samuel Butler

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Two souls with but a single thought.

Two hearts that beat as one.”

~ Von Munch Bellinghausen

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“I’ll speak to thee in silence.”

~ William Shakespeare

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Sleep, the brother of death.”

~ Hesiod - Theogony

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Wizards that peep, and that mutter.”

~ Isaiah 8:19

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Small troubles may speak, great woes are silent.”

~ Seneca

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Woman was God’s second mistake.”

~ Nietzsche

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“The secret wound lives on within the breast.”

~ Vergil

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Heaven for climate, Hell for company.”

~ J. M. Barrie

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“I am two fool, I know,

For loving ... and for saying so in whining poetry.”

~ Donne

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“He first deceased: she for a little tried to live without him, liked it not, and died.”

~ Sir Henry Wotton

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Use every man after his desert, and who should escape whipping?”

~ William Shakespeare

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“He begins to die that quits his desires.”

~ George Herbert

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“The lunatic, the lover, and the poet are of imagination compact. One sees more devils than vast hell can hold. That is, the madman: the lover, just as frantic.”

~ William Shakespeare

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“I appear before you in my purest form. Allowing you into the quintessence of my mind. My words appear before you as windows to my soul.”

~ Tanja Guido

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Sometimes too hot the eye of Heaven shines.”

~ William Shakespeare

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“You need but life a pearl-pale hand,

And bind up your hair and sigh;

And all men’s hearts must burn and beat;

And candle-like ... foam in the dim sand,

And stars climbing the dew-dropping sky,

Live but to light your passing feet.”

~ William Butler Yeats

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Heart, are you great enough for a

Love that never tires?

O heart are you great enough for love?”

~ Tennyson

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Oh lift me from the grass.

I die. I faint. I fail.

Let your love in kisses rain

On my lips and eyelids pale.

My cheek is cold and white, alas.

My heart beats loud and fast ...

Press it to your own again,

Where it will break at last.”

~ Percy Bysshe Shelley

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Parting is all we know of heaven

And all we need of hell.”

~ Dickinson

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“She was a Phantom of delight.”

~ William Wordsworth

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“She is coming, my own, my sweet;

Were it ever so airy a tread,

My heart would hear her and beat,

Were it earth in an earthly bed;

My dust would hear her and beat

Had I lain for a century dead,

Would I start and tremble under her feet,

And blossom in purple and red.”

~ Tennyson

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Even in silence ... it is brilliant.”

~ Tanja Guido

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“I have got a wolf by the ears.”

~ Terrence

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Men plan ... God laughs.”

~ Unknown

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Amor Vincit Omnia.” (L)

~ Virgil

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“”Life is an unrelenting comedy. Therein lies the tragedy of it.”

~ Martin Stillwater

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Winter that year was strange and gray. The damp wind smelled of Apocalypse, and morning skies had a peculiar way of slipping cat-quick into midnight.”

~ The Book Of Counted Sorrows

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“I had rather be a toad, and live upon the vapour of a dungeon, than keep a corner in the thing I love for other’s uses.”

~ William Shakespeare

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“There’s nothing worth the wear of winning but laughter and the love of friends.”

~ Hilaire Belloc

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“I can endure my own despair, but not another’s hope.”

~ William Walsh

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“I am Wrath, I had neither father nor mother: I leap’d out of a lion’s mouth when I was scarce half an hour old; and ever since I have run up and down the world with this case of rapiers, wounding myself when I had nobody to fight withal.”

~ Christopher Marlowe

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“I cannot rest from travel; I will drink life to the lees.”

~ Tennyson

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“For the sword outwears the sheath,

And the soul wears the breast.”

~ Byron

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“If a madman were to come into this room with a stick in his hand, no doubt we should pity the state of his mind, but our primary consideration would be to take care of ourselves. We should knock him down first, and pity him afterward.”

~ Samuel Johnson

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Life can coax you to gnash your teeth and pull at your hair ... it can make you go mad and howl at the moon ... it seduces you to chase the stars and indulge in too much wine.

Then, of a sudden ... some angel descends to kiss you tenderly on the cheek ... blessing you with another. You, of course, can think of nothing you’ve done so powerful as to deserve such miracles.

Now ... the wine is shared in love, and the moon smiles down upon you both like an ancient and caring Grandsire. The stars ... they might seem like pinholes in the cloak of night ... designed to light the way for two pair of feet.

Look into each other’s eyes whenever you might dig this from some yellow and dusty shoebox ... take a moment to consider what may have, by now, become comfortable and everyday ...

You will watch each other’s hair go white, you will share a bed and a life and a love. Always within reach ... a hand to grasp, lips to kiss, a whispered secret to share.

And your children will bask in this loving.

On this day, the twenty-sixth of August in the year of our Lord nineteen hundred and ninety five ... Kelly and Denise become one.

May Heaven shine on you both.”

~ Richard Soppet

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“I dreamt my lady came and found me dead --

Strange dream that gives a dead man leave to think! --

And breathed such life with kisses in my lips,

That I revived ... and was an emperor.”

~ William Shakespeare

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“In a eorld where words are easily misconstrued ... kisses are eloquent.”

~ Unknown

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“If it be now, ‘tis not to come;

If it be not to come, it will be now;

If it be not now, yet it will come.

The readiness is all.”

~ William Shakespeare

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Each person is born to one possession which outvalues all his others -- his last breath.”

~ Mark Twain

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Certainly nothing is unnatural that is not physically impossible.”

~ Sheridan

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“I’d call it love, if love didn’t take so many years ... but lust too is a jewel.”

~ Adrienne Rich

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Civilized people cannot fully satisfy their sexual instinct without love.”

~ Betrand Russell

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“I believe in the power of ice cream.

I believe in angels in our midst.

I believe in loyalty till death.

I believe in Father Christmas.

I believe in love everlasting.

I believe in midnight kisses.

I believe in the man on the moon.

I believe in fate and faith.

I believe in matrimony and miracles.

I believe in wisdom of the heart.

I believe in embracing the mud.

I believe in you.”

~ Richard Soppet

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Being kissed on the back of the knee is a moth at the windowscreen.”

~ Anne Sexton

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Women are poets just by being women.”

~ Jose Marti

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Soul meets soul on lover’s lips.”

~ Shelley

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Kisses are like almonds.”

~ Maltese Proverb

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“At twenty, man is a peacock; at thirty, a lion; at forty, a camel; at fifty, a serpent; at sixty, a dog; at seventy, an ape; at eighty ... nothing at all.”

~ Baltasar Gracian

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Razors pain you;

Rivers are damp;

Acids stain you

And drugs cause cramp.

Guns aren’t lawful;

Nooses give;

Gas smells awful;

You might as well live.”

~ D. Parker

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Philosophy will clip an angel’s wings.”

~ John Keats

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“I loved not yet ... yet I loved to love ... I sought what I might love, in love with loving.”

~ St. Augustine

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“When the first baby laughed for the first time, the laugh broke into a thousand pieces and they all went skipping about, and that was the beginning of faeries.”

~ J. M. Barrie

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“I make myself laugh at everything, for fear of having to weep.”

~ Pierre-Augustin Caron De Beaumarchais

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Only the insane take themselves quite seriously.”

~ Max Beerbohm

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“The angel has unspoken longings.”

~ Unknown

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“We have first raised a dust then complain that we cannot see.”

~ Bishop Berkeley

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“But men must know that in this theatre of man’s life, it is reserved only for God and angels to be lookers on.”

~ Francis Bacon

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“May your neighbors respect you,

Trouble neglect you,

The angels protect you,

And Heaven accept you.”

~ Old Irish Toast

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“HIs madness was not of the head, but of the heart.”

~ Byron

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Soft and reassuring as butterscotch, a kiss nourishes and warms the soul. It is a confection that never grows tiresome. And when it is over, it lingers on the lips and lives in memory.”

~ Unknown

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“She look’s at me as she did love,
And made sweet moan.”

~ John Keats

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Dragons in their pleasant palaces.”

~ Isaiah 13:22

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“There is no other purgatory but a woman.”

~ Francis Beaumont

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Into a Limbo large and broad, since called The Paradise of Fools, to few unknown.”

~ Milton

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Kisses are a better fate than wisdom.”

~ e. e. cummings

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“I shoot the Hippopotamus

With bullets made of platinum,

Because if I use leaden ones

His hide is sure to flatten ‘em.”

~ Hilaire Belloc

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“To die will be an awfully big adventure.”

~ J. M. Barrie

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“The poet is like the prince of the clouds, who rides out the tempest and laughs. But when he is exiled on the ground, amidst the clamour, his giant’s wings prevent him from walking.”

~ Charles Baudelaire

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“That great dust-heap called ‘History.’”

~ Augustine Birrell

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“ ... Like a tub of roses, swimming in honey, cologne, nutmeg and blackberries.”

~ Samuel Sullivan Cox

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Where one drop of blood drains a castle of life, so one kiss can bring it alive again.”

~ The Sleeping Beauty by the Brothers Grimm.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“The nature of God is a circle of which the centre is everywhere and the circumstance is nowhere.”

~ Anonymous

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“The Devil, having nothing else to do,

Went off to tempt my Lady.

My Lady, tempted by a private whim,

To his extreme annoyance ...

Tempted him.

~ Hilaire Belloc

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“ ... We kiss. And it feels like we have just shrugged off the world.”

~ Jim Shahin

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“The cool kindliness of sheets, that soon smooth away trouble; and the rough kiss of blankets.”

~ Rupert Brooke

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Where my heart lies, let my brain lie also.”

~ Browning

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“I have been in love, and in debt, and in drink, this many and many a year.”

~ John Bright

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“The angel of death has been abroad throughout the land; you may almost hear the beating of his wings.”

~ John Bright

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“There are swords about me to keep me safe: they are the kisses of your lips.”

~ Mary Carolyn Davies

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Demoniac frenzy, moping melancholy,

And moon-struck madness.”

~ Milton

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“The optimist proclaims that we live in the best of all possible worlds ... and the pessimist fears that this is true.”

~ James Cabell

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“The Scots die, but do not surrender.”

~ Anonymous

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“One fire burns out another’s burning;

One pain is lessened by another’s anguish.”

~ William Shakespeare

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“You should have a softer pillow than my heart.”

~ Lord Byron

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Cyrano: The moon ... yes, that would be the place for me -- my kind of paradise! I shall find there those other souls who should be friends of mine -- Socrates ... Galileo ... Copernicus -- philosopher and scientist, poet, musician, duellist -- He flew high, and fell back again! A lover ... not like other men ... Here lies Hercule-Savinien De Cyrano de Bergerac ... who was all things -- and all in vain! Well, I must go -- pardon -- I cannot stay! My moonbeam comes to carry me away ... “

~ Edmond Rostand

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Aldiborontiphoscophornio! Where left you Chornonhotonthologos?”

~ Henry Carey

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Then I saw that there was a way to Hell, even from the gates of Heaven.”

~ John Bunyan

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“If Jesus Christ were to come today, people would not even crucify him. They would ask him to dinner, and hear what he had to say ... and make fun of it.”

~ William Carleton

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Who else is going to bring you a broken arrow? Who else is going to bring you a bottle of rain?”

~ Stewart

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“In my dream, I was drowning in sorrows ... but my sorrows ... they learned to swim.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“The walls are hung with velvet that is black and soft as sin. And little dwarves creep out of it and little dwarves creep in.”

~ John Clare

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“I am a muddle-headed fool, with frequent lucid intervals.”

~ Centlivre

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“If you’ll believe in me, I’ll believe in you.”

~ Lewis Carroll

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Between the Darkness and the Brightness there passed a mutual glance of great politeness.”

~ Byron

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Stung by the splendor of a sudden thought.”

~ Browning

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“A tear is an intellectual thing, and a kiss is the sword of an Angel King.”

~ Unknown

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Drinking when we are not thirsty and making love all year round, madam; that is all there is to distinguish us from other animals.”

~ Beaumarchais

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“And a thousand thousand silmy things

Lived on: and so did I.”

~ Samuel Taylor Coleridge

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Dear Sir,

I am in a Madhouse and quite forget your name or who you are.”

~ John Clare

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“The angels all were singing out of tune,

And hoarse with having little else to do,

Excepting to wind up the sun and moon

Or curb a runaway young star or two.”

~ Byron

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“All places are distant from Heaven alike.”

~ Robert Burton

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Listen: ... there’s a hell of a good universe next door; let’s go.”

~ e. e. cummings

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Moon-washed apples of wonder.”

~ John Drinkwater

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“These poor half-kisses kill me quite.”

~ Michael Drayton

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Could swell the soul to rage, or kindle soft desire.”

~ John Dryden

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Every street lamp that I pass beats like a fatalistic drum,

And through the spaces of the dark

Midnight shakes the memory

As a madman shakes a dead geranium.”

~ T. S. Eliot

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Offend her, and she knows not to forgive;

Oblige her, and she’ll hate you while you live;

But die, and she’ll adore you forever.”

~ Alexander Pope

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Nursing her wrath to keep it warm.”

~ Burns

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“May those who love us, love us.

And those that don’t love us,

May God turn their hearts.

And if he doesn’t turn their hearts,

May he turn their ankles,

So we may know them by their limping.”

~ Old Gaelic Blessing

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Be peaceful, be courteous, obey the law, respect everyone; but if someone puts his hand on you, send him to the cemetery.”

~ Malcolm X

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Without woman, the beginning of our life would be helpless, the middle without pleasure, and the end void of consolation.”

~ Victor de Jovy

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“I’ve seen stormy seas and stormy women ... and pity lovers rather more than seamen.”

~ Byron

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“An incurable itch for scribbling takes possession of many and grows inveterate in their insane hearts.”

~ Juvenal

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“The great art of writing is the art of making people real to themselves with words.”

~ Logan Pearsall Smith

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Woman would be more charming if one could fall into her arms without falling into her hands.”

~ Ambrose Pierce

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“I see the better course and I approve of it; but I follow the worse.”

~ Ovid

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“She was a phantom of delight when first she gleamed upon my sight. A lovely apparition sent to be a moment’s ornament.”

~ Wordsworth

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Puck: If we shadows have offended,

Think but this and all is mended:

That you have but slumber’d here

While these visions did appear.

And this weak and idle theme,

No more yielding than a dream.

Gentles, do not comprehend:

If you pardon, we will mend.

And, as I am an honest Puck,

If we have unearned luck

Now to ‘scape the serpent’s tongue,

We will make amends ere long;

Else the Puck a liar call.

So, goodnight unto you all.

Give me your hands, if we be friends,

And Robin shall restore amends.

[Exit].”

~ William Shakespeare

E N D O F B O O K O N E