“Fight any instinct to be humorless, for humorlessness is the worst of all absurdities.”

Not only should you not accept a prize. You should not try to deserve one either.

Beauty cannot be recognized with a cursory glance.

Children and lunatics cut the Gordian knot which the poet spends his life patiently trying to untie.

Wealth is an inborn attitude of mind, like poverty. The pauper who has made his pile may flaunt his spoils, but cannot wear them plausibly.

Art is not a pastime but a priesthood.

You’ve never seen death? Look in the mirror every day and you will see it like bees working in a glass hive.

Every day in the mirror I watch death at work.

Since the day of my birth, my death began its walk. It is walking toward me, without hurrying.

Do as the beautiful woman: see to your figure and your petticoats. Though, of course, I am not speaking literally.

There’s no such thing as love; only proof of love.

Nothing ever gets anywhere. The earth keeps turning round and gets nowhere. The moment is the only thing that counts.

The eyes of the dead are closed gently; we also have to open gently the eyes of the living.

After you have written a thing and you reread it, there is always the temptation to fix it up, to improve it, to remove its poison, blunt its sting.

It is excruciating to be an unbeliever with a spirit that is deeply religious.

I love cats because I enjoy my home; and little by little, they become its visible soul.

Youth is certain what it rejects before it knows what it will accept.

I will fight with all the weapons within my reach rather than let myself be nailed to a cross or whatever.

When you are mostly fighting with everyone you love. You are not fighting enough with your dreams.

You don’t have to be a man to fight for freedom. All you have to do is to be an intelligent human being.

The more ignorant you are, the quicker you fight.

Fight hard the battle of life and take the challenges with courage, determination, and perseverance.

Tis hard to fight with anger, but the prudent man keeps it under control.

I respect all of the fighters within the sport of boxing, legends of the past, stars of the present, and prospects of the future.

The hardest battle you’re ever going to fight is the battle to be just you.