Nicanor Parra Quotes

“United States: the country where liberty is a statue.”

“TO MAKE A LONG STORY SHORTTo make a long story shortI leave all my possessionsto the Municipal Slaughterhouseto the Special Unit of the Police Departmentto Lucky Dog LottoSo now if you want you can shoot”

“WHAT DOES AN OLD MAN GAIN BY EXERCISINGwhat will he gain by talking on the phonewhat will he gain by going after fame, tell mewhat does he gain by looking in the mirrorNothingeach time he just sinks deeper in the mudIt’s already three or four in the morningwhy doesn’t he try to go to sleepbut no--he won’t stop doing exercisewon’t stop with his famous long-distance callswon’t stop with Bach with Beethoven with Tchaikovskywon’t stop with the long looks in the mirrorwon’t stop with the ridiculous obsession about continuing to breathepitiful--it would be better if he turned out the lightRidiculous old man his mother says to himyou and your father are exactly alikehe didn’t want to die eithermay God grant you the strength to drive a carmay God grant you the strength to talk on the phonemay God grant you the strength to breathe may God grant you the strength to bury your motherYou fell asleep, you ridiculous old man!but the poor wretch does not intend to sleepLet’s not confuse crying with sleeping”

“Don't cry when the sun is gone, because the tears won't let you see the stars.”

“The signs shifted in my mind like a kaleidoscope of visions.”

“If one day I was taken away...would you wait for me to come back?"Concerned moved across his face. "Where are you going?""Just tell me, please. I need to know, without telling you anything else.""No."I swallowed and blinked back tears."I'd go after you," he said.”

“If you can't be pretty, at least be nice.”

“Life gets in the way of Creativity, but it's up to us not to let it interfere more than necessary.”

“Religion is for the intimacy of your heart, not for your tongue and hands to hurt others.”

“Jealousy is not the remedy.It is the illness.”