"if Saint Bruce doesn't like your poem, he chops your head off."

--

Source : Vivian Vande Velde (2004). “Heir Apparent”, p.1, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

Vivian Vande Velde

“One thing, I try to be honest. And what is revealed is often rather hideously unflattering.”
“â€¦â€¦, but as I am a scholar I feel obliged to document what it is like here, most of the time, between the dramatic climaxes. In truth it is like this: You cannot imagine how time can be so still. It hangs. It weighs, and yet there is so little of it. It goes so slowly and it is so scarce. If I was writing this scene it would last a full 15 minutes. I would lie here and you would sit there.”
“As I said, this was my sarcastic summer. It was only long after that I recognized sarcasm as the protest of people who are weak.”

Source : John Knowles (2014). “A Separate Peace”, p.24, Simon and Schuster
“And you've actually watched it yourself?' I asked. 'Willingly?' Sure. I had to see it, you know? Besides we should be safe. Only one in twenty viewers actually had a bad reaction. And it was mostly kids who were affected. I mean younger than you guys. I think the average age was about ten.' That made me feel somewhat better. But that was a kid's show,' said Jen. 'Maybe it affects everyone, but not that many adults were watching.' That made me feel less better. I wanted my protective bangs back.”
“I just simply believe in having purposeful relations, period. That's what its about at the end of the day. However, I do appreciate people that are individualistic, mainly because I'm an impressionable soul and my friends become my big sisters and brothers in a way.”
“Santayana's aphorism must be reversed: too often it is those who can remember the past who are condemned to repeat it.”
“Unhappiness makes beggars or accountants of us all.”
“Revival is an infusion of new spiritual life imparted by the Holy Spirit to existing parts of Christ's body.”

You may also like: