"Religion, a mediaeval form of unreason, when combined with modern weaponry becomes a real threat to our freedoms. This religious totalitarianism has caused a new world war."

"Nobody can take jokes. That’s why they’re jokes."

"I've always been drawn to characters who are outsiders, who don't fit in."

"A poet's work is to name the unnameable, to point at frauds, to take sides, start arguments, shape the world, and stop it from going to sleep."

"Writing is a solitary business, but it's also a way of connecting with the world."