Thus in the winter stands the lonely tree, Nor knows what birds have vanished one by one, Yet knows its boughs more silent than before.
Longing alone is singer to the lute.
Childhood is not from birth to a certain age and at a certain age. The child is grown, and puts away childish things. Childhood is the kingdom where nobody dies.
I am not resigned to the shutting away of loving hearts in the hard ground.
Euclid alone has looked on Beauty bare. Let all who prate of Beauty hold their peace, And lay them prone upon the earth and cease To ponder on themselves, the while they stare At nothing, intricately drawn nowhere.
Without music I should wish to die.
Life in itself Is nothing, An empty cup, a flight of uncarpeted stairs.
Need we say it was not love, Now that love is perished?
Sorrow like a ceaseless rain Beats upon my heart. People twist and scream in pain – Dawn will find them still again; This has neither wax nor wane, Neither stop nor start.
After the feet of beauty fly my own.
Please don’t think me negligent or rude. I am both, in effect, of course, but please don’t think me either.
I find that I never lose Bach. I don’t know why I have always loved him so. Except that he is so pure, so relentless and incorruptible, like a principle of geometry.
My candle burns at both ends.
I only know that summer sang in me A little while, that in me sings no more.
I shall die, but that is all that I shall do for Death; I am not on his pay-roll.
There are a hundred places where I fear To go, – so with his memory they brim! And entering with relief some quiet place Where never fell his foot or shone his face I say, ‘There is no memory of him here!’ And so stand stricken, so remembering him!
I know I am but summer to your heart, and not the full four seasons of the year.
And must I then, indeed, Pain, live with you all through my life?-sharing my fire, my bed, Sharing-oh, worst of all things!-the same head?- And, when I feed myself, feeding you too?
Oh, you mean I’m a homosexual! Of course I am, and heterosexual too, but what’s that got to do with my headache?
I am not a tentative person. Whatever I do, I give up my whole self to it...