Don Marquis

When a man tells you that he got rich through hard work, ask him: 'Whose?'

Poetry is what Milton saw when he went blind.

Writing a book of poetry is like dropping a rose petal down the Grand Canyon and waiting for the echo.

Publishing a volume of verse is like dropping a rose petal down the Grand Canyon and waiting for the echo.

We pay for the mistakes of our ancestors, and it seems only fair that they should leave us the money to pay with.

There is nothing so habit-forming as money.

Fate often puts all the material for happiness and prosperity into a man's hands just to see how miserable he can make himself with them.

Happiness is the interval between periods of unhappiness.

Every cloud has its silver lining but it is sometimes a little difficult to get it to the mint.

A pessimist is a person who has had to listen to too many optimists.

I have often noticed that ancestors never boast of the descendants who boast of ancestors. I would rather start a family than finish one. Blood will tell, but often it tells too much.

I would rather start a family than finish one.

An optimist is a guy that has never had much experience.

One of the most important things to remember about infant care is: don't change diapers in midstream.

Punctuality is one of the cardinal business virtues: always insist on it in your subordinates.

Procrastination is the art of keeping up with yesterday.

Of middle age the best that can be said is that a middle-aged person has likely learned how to have a little fun in spite of his troubles.

Middle age is the time when a man is always thinking that in a week or two he will feel as good as ever.

Age is not a particularly interesting subject. Anyone can get old. All you have to do is live long enough.