I could stand before him, be in his arms as I was just then, and still be lost to him, some phantom of a desire he cherished more than he cherished m… - Alexander Chee

I was spelling out a message that would allow me to talk to myself and to others. The novel that emerged was about things I could not speak of in life, in some cases literally. I would lie, or I would feel a weight on my chest as if someone was sitting there. But when the novel was done, I could read from it. A prosthetic voice.

Everything is already moving so very fast, but you need a great deal more speed than this to escape the earth's gravitational pull. Seven miles per second. More fuel, please.

When the earth opens up under your feet, be like a seed. Fall down; wait for the rain.