“You play along, because you want to die for love, you always have.” WantPlayDiesLove YouWanting To DieAlways Love You Author:Richard Siken
“I woke up in the morning and I didn’t want anything, didn’t do anything, couldn’t do it anyway, just lay there listening to the blood rush through me and it never made any sense, anything.” WantMadeMorningBloodListeningLays Author:Richard Siken
“The narrator blames the birds. And you want to blame the birds as well. I blamed the birds for a long time. But in this story everyone is hungry, even the birds. And at this point in the story so many things have gone wrong, so many bad decisions made, that it’s a wonder anyone would want to continue reading.” WantWellsLongMadeStoriesReadingDecisionWonderGoneLong TimeBirdBlameHungryNarratorsBad DecisionDecisions Made Author:Richard Siken
“I never liked that ending either. More love streaming out the wrong way, and I don't want to be the kind that says the wrong way. But it doesn't work, these erasures, this constant refolding of the pleats. There were some nice parts, sure, all lemondrop and mellonball, laughing in silk pajamas and the grain of sugar on the toast, love love or whatever, take a number. I'm sorry it's such a lousy story.” WayWantKindStoriesNumbersLaughingNiceConstantSorrySugarGrainI'm SorrySilkToastsWrong WayPajamasStreamingSome NicePleats Author:Richard Siken
“Actually, you said Love, for you, is larger than the usual romantic love. It’s like a religion. It’s terrifying. No one will ever want to sleep with you.” WantSaidSleepUsualRomantic LoveWant To Sleep Author:Richard Siken
“Let me tell you what I do know: I am more than one thing, and not all of those things are good. The truth is complicated. It’s two-toned, multi-vocal, bittersweet. I used to think that if I dug deep enough to discover something sad and ugly, I’d know it was something true. Now I’m trying to dig deeper. I didn’t want to write these pages until there were no hard feelings, no sharp ones. I do not have that luxury. I am sad and angry and I want everyone to be alive again. I want more landmarks, less landmines. I want to be grateful but I’m having a hard time with it.” IfsThinkingKnowsWantWritingTryingTwoHardEnoughFeelingsUsedAliveOne ThingTruth IsPagesLet MeAngryGratefulUglyDeeperComplicatedLuxuryHard TimesBe GratefulVocalBittersweetLandmarksHaving A Hard TimeLandmines Author:Richard Siken
“Oh, the things we invent when we are scared and want to be rescued.” WantScared Author:Richard Siken
