W. H. Auden Quotes
But if a stranger in the train asks me my occupation, I never answer "writer" for fear that he may go on to ask me what I write, and to answer "poetry" would embarrass us both, for we both know that nobody can earn a living simply by writing poetry.
Quotes to Explore
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The will is commendable though the ability may be wanting.
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When I look at the world I'm pessimistic, but when I look at people I am optimistic.
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In the case of my book, I don't think it's really the coming-out gay novel that everyone really needed, even though it was received as such. The boy is too creepy, he betrays his teacher, the only adult man with whom he's enjoyed a sexual experience, etc.
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Creating things sometimes is difficult.
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When I was writing pretty poor poetry, this girl with midnight black hair told me to go on.
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As it relates to society in general, I think we are inviting God's judgment on our nation when we shake our fist at him and say, 'We know better than you as to what constitutes a marriage.'
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The job as a coach is difficult.
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I hate being manipulated by song. Don't tell me what I should be feeling. I don't want cellos or violins to be telling me that I should be bawling right now.
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I did a lot of stunts, so the harness work isn't foreign to me either.
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My father loves people. No matter what their race, no matter what their position in life, he treated everyone with kindness and love and respect. And that was instilled in me just by watching him.
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America is huge.
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I'm concerned about my daughter because she will not believe in Santa Claus. No matter what I say to her, she just doesn't buy it, and she's 2. I refuse to give it up. I say, 'There is a Santa Claus,' and she says, 'Okay, Mommy. In pretend world, right?' She really doesn't believe.
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It takes people a while to trust you.
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The only questions that really matter are the ones you ask yourself.
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I didn't grow up with a mother, so I don't have that resource to rely on and ask a million questions.
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I really like one-on-one, rich relationships.
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The reason that last-ditch political maneuvering has become business as usual in Washington is that the actors involved are drunk on blame and are convinced that the voting public is, too. They count on outrage, thereby spreading numbness. They cherish the prospect of partisan fury, thereby inspiring nonpartisan disgust.
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I think there are certain business matters which we must now conduct differently than we used to.
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Your body thinks radium is a great thing to pack into bone - where it kills some cells outright and scrambles the DNA of others, causing problems like cancer.
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Sailing is such a variable sport. There could be no wind, or there could be 25 knots. You never know what you're going to get.
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There is also present another source of energy operating in a more continuous fashion and being more intimately connected with the permanent evolution in human societies.
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You know, when you can play with the greatest players of that particular era, you look forward to going to the ballpark. I mean, you thought it was great to be there in the clubhouse. You thought it was great to be on the field.
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I have many different sides; I can be the life and soul of the party - or a wallflower.
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But if a stranger in the train asks me my occupation, I never answer "writer" for fear that he may go on to ask me what I write, and to answer "poetry" would embarrass us both, for we both know that nobody can earn a living simply by writing poetry.
