“The realization wasn't crushing. It was gentle, like a final tendril of smoke from a dying candle.”

“It is a bitter thing that each of us must finally be blown out like a candle, and have the unique ardor of his individual flame choked off, and sucked utterly away like smoke in the dark. Do we ever accept this in our hearts, any of us? The waste of knowledge! It never ceases to be…infuriating.”

“When the dryness and the rain finally drink from one another
The gentle cup of mutually surrendered tears!”

“He wondered if he might be in love, but realized it was far more likely he was dying.”

“One candle is enough. Its gentle light
will be more suitable, will be more gracious
when the Shades arrive, the Shades of Love.”

“I wasn't a misanthrope and I wasn't a misogynist but I liked being alone. It felt good to sit alone in a small space and smoke and drink. I had always been good company for myself.”

“Write your own name and your sweetheart's, with the smoke of a candle on the roof of the kitchen, or the servants hall, to show your learning.”

“Yes, frosting. The final defense of the dying.”

“NOW, MY BRETHREN!" Poseidon's voice was so loud I wasn't sure if I was hearing it from the smoke image or from all the way across town. "STRIKE FOR OLYMPUS!”

“I see enormous loves growing immense and finally crushing me.”