His eyes burned with intensity. I wondered briefly if someonehe knew was being held in that cold room that smelled like death. Someone he loved?

At no given point in life should you stop aiming for a better mindset, a greater drive, and the attainment more positive results.

I think that one possible definition of our modern culture is that it is one in which nine-tenths of our intellectuals can't read any poetry.

You can't just yell jokes at people.

Poetry is about as much a 'criticism of life' as red-hot iron is a criticism of fire.

The more I see of the world, the more am I dissatisfied with it.

Only in this world do we laugh: in hell, it won't be possible; and in heaven, it won't be proper.

You've got to believe in yourself, or no one will believe in you. Imagination is like a bird on the wing, flying free for you to use.

No one can be despised by another until he has learned to despise himself.

(Finland is a famously introverted nation. Finnish joke: How can you tell if a Finn likes you? He's staring at your shoes instead of his own.)

We are never so much disposed to quarrel with others as when we are dissatisfied with ourselves.