No one ever found wisdom without also being a fool. Writers alas have to be fools in public while the rest of the human race can cover its tracks.

No one ever found wisdom without also being a fool. Writers alas have to be fools in public while the rest of the human race can cover its tracks.

I thought to spend my declining years writing poetry and teaching – but that won't pay the Bergdorf's bill. I think I'll move to somewhere life is cheaper.

I thought to spend my declining years writing poetry and teaching – but that won't pay the Bergdorf's bill. I think I'll move to somewhere life is cheaper.

Poetry is the language we speak in the most terrifying or ecstatic passages of our lives. But the very word poetry scares people. They think of their grade school teachers reciting 'Hiawatha' and they groan.

Poetry is the language we speak in the most terrifying or ecstatic passages of our lives. But the very word poetry scares people. They think of their grade school teachers reciting 'Hiawatha' and they groan.

Poetry is what we turn to in the most emotional moments of our life – when a beloved friend dies when a baby is born or when we fall in love.

Poetry is what we turn to in the most emotional moments of our life – when a beloved friend dies when a baby is born or when we fall in love.

In a bad marriage friends are the invisible glue. If we have enough friends we may go on for years intending to leave talking about leaving – instead of actually getting up and leaving.

In a bad marriage friends are the invisible glue. If we have enough friends we may go on for years intending to leave talking about leaving – instead of actually getting up and leaving.

There is still the feeling that women's writing is a lesser class of writing that what goes on in the nursery or the bedroom is not as important as what goes on in the battlefield that what women know about is a less category of knowledge.

There is still the feeling that women's writing is a lesser class of writing that what goes on in the nursery or the bedroom is not as important as what goes on in the battlefield that what women know about is a less category of knowledge.

When I met my husband I refused to invite him home for Passover because I was embarrassed my mother might serve all the catered dishes in the wrong order.

When I met my husband I refused to invite him home for Passover because I was embarrassed my mother might serve all the catered dishes in the wrong order.