“Birds seen flying around, you never see them too long on the ground, You want to be one of them…”

“Some birds are not meant to be caged, that's all. Their feathers are too bright, their songs too sweet and wild. So you let them go, or when you open the cage to feed them they somehow fly out past you. And the part of you that knows it was wrong to imprison them in the first place rejoices, but still, the place where you live is that much more drab and empty for their departure.”

“When you have shot one bird flying you have shot all birds flying. They are all different and they fly in different ways but the sensation is the same and the last one is as good as the first.”

“If you love someone, then set them free. Don't shackle your loved one to your will. If you want to see them happy, let them do what they want. Because we cannot bind the hearts and minds of others. Like birds, only freedom and independence will make humans happy.”

“You cannot stop the birds of sorrow from flying over your head, but you can stop them nesting in your hair.”

“Oh very young,
What will you leave us this time?
There’ll never be a better chance to change your mind
And if you want this world to see better days
Will you carry the words of love with you?
Will you ride the great white bird into heaven?
And though you want them to last forever
You know they never will — you know they never will”

“You can't keep the birds of sadness from flying over your head, but you can keep them from nesting in your hair.”

“You cannot keep birds from flying over your head
but you can keep them from building a nest in your hair”

“Reptiles don't turn into birds no matter how long you leave them.”

“Do you want to see what human eyes have never seen? Look at the moon. Do you want to hear what ears have never heard? Listen to the bird's cry. Do you want to touch what hands have never touched? Touch the earth. Verily I say that God is about to create the world.”