I keep a mountain anchored off eastward a little way, which I ascend in my dreams both awake and asleep. Its broad base spreads ov...er a village or two, which does not know it; neither does it know them, nor do I when I ascend it. I can see its general outline as plainly now in my mind as that of Wachusett. I do not invent in the least, but state exactly what I see. I find that I go up it when I am light-footed and earnest. It ever smokes like an altar with its sacrifice. I am not aware that a single villager frequents it or knows of it. I keep this mountain to ride instead of a horse.LESSATTRIBUTION DETAIL »
Many's the time I've seen Barney go off, just that same way. Goodbye. Sometimes he'd wave. Ten to one he wasn't even seein' me. He... was thinkin' about all those men, you see. All those men who went out to fight, to kill, be killed. And blast his eyes, lovin' it.LESSATTRIBUTION DETAIL »
But this place is too cold for hell. I'll devil-porter it no further; I had thought to have let in some of all professions that go... the primrose way to th' everlasting bonfire.LESSATTRIBUTION DETAIL »
Saint, saintliness is a long way off. It is like a tall and beautiful palm tree.... If you climb it, you drink the love potion, but if you fall you break into pieces.LESSATTRIBUTION DETAIL »
New Yorkers speak more quickly and shift topics more rapidly. We all know that. But the way it's done is fascinating. At least it ...fascinated me when I first moved to New York. Someone has the floor and talks. As soon as I know what they are going to say, I can jump in, finish the sentence to show I understand, and take off into my own turn. The northern California I know isn't like that. Someone talks, and I lie back and listen and let them roll for a while. When they're done, there'll be a pause that will flash like a green light to announce that someone else can have the floor.LESSATTRIBUTION DETAIL »
It's a damn shame we have this immediate ticking off in the mind about how people sound. On the other hand, how many people really... want to be operated upon by a surgeon who talks broad cockney?LESSATTRIBUTION DETAIL »
The truth is despite the hard work and juggling required to keep the different facets of the frantic life afloat, the "superwoman"... has one marvelous compensation. Being busy and being seen to be busy lets you off the hook. Buys you a way out of all aspects of your many roles you secretly despise ... like cleaning cupboards ... or entertaining your husband's business friends. When you combine wife, mother, career and all, each role become the perfect excuse for avoiding the worst aspects of the other.LESSATTRIBUTION DETAIL »
The only way to spend New Year's Eve is either quietly with friends or in a brothel. Otherwise when the evening ends and people pa...ir off, someone is bound to be left in tears.LESSATTRIBUTION DETAIL »
It was a heavy burden on the conscience to know that while you sat in Music 101, some contemporary--as "worthy" of a college educa...tion as you were, but one who had been denied the opportunity because he was poor, or black, or both--was getting his head blown off in Vietnam. Many students believed that such inequity was wrong, but couldn't bring themselves to redress it personally by refusing the student deferment. It's a dreadful combination: to act for self-protection yet at the same time to loathe oneself for acting that way.LESSATTRIBUTION DETAIL »
What knows,--the something over Setebos That made Him, or He, may be, found and fought,... Worsted, drove off and did to nothing, perchance. There may be something quiet o'er His head, Out of His reach, that feels nor joy nor grief, Since both derive from weakness in some way.LESSATTRIBUTION DETAIL »