It seems to me I am always preparing for a beautiful death. Avoid all short-cuts. Dress the way you like. Always check the train schedule in advance. Pay your own way. Apologize for what you did, not what you didn't do. Don't be mad at the guitar player in the subway. Don't wait too long. Patience is relative. Read the paper. Keep throwing things out. Keep your life light and spacious. Expect to feel different. You might need a camera. There are puddles and angles you'll never want to forget. If you get scared, count. The dream you're seeing out the window might be death. I think God is death. I really do.

Maxfield Parrish: Early & New Poems (David R. Godine Publisher, 1995), p. 50, "Home"