"STRANGE, HE HADN'T NOTICED BEFORE THAT THIS PARK WAS HERE AT ALL.  HOW LOVELY IT WAS!  THE FEELING OF STORM COMMUNICATED ITSELF TO HIM; HE DREW A DEEP BREATH - OUTSIDE THERE WAS LIFE, WITH ALL ITS INFINITE POIGNANCY.  A CHILDREN'S FOUNTAIN HAD SENT UP A RAINBOW, AN OUTSPREAD PEACOCK'S FAN OF WATER, WHOSE COOLNESS COULD ALMOST BE FELT, AND FOR A MOMENT CONNECTING THIS WITH RAIN FALLING SOMEWHERE ALREADY, SOMETHING LIKE A HOPE FLICKERED IN HIM, THOUGH OF NOTHING IN PARTICULAR, PERHAPS JUST OF HOPE ITSELF.  BUT OF COURSE IT WAS THE FOUNTAIN, NOT THE RAIN, THAT MADE THE RAINBOW: HIS HOPE WAS A FALSE HOPE, NOT AN ARTIFICIAL ONE.  BY THE TIME THE RAIN REALLY CAME, BRINGING RELIEF TO THE DROUGHT, THE SUN WOULD BE SET, JUST AS IT MIGHT HAPPEN THAT BY THE TIME MADNESS CAME TO A MAN, THE MIND WOULD NOT KNOW IT WAS A RELIEF."

- MALCOM LOWRY, 'LUNAR CAUSTIC' (1968)

I AM HERE 

HERE I AM 

AM I HERE /

ALL THINGS MELLOW IN THE MIND

A SLEIGHT OF HAND,

A TRICK OF TIME.

AND EVEN OUR GREAT LOVE

WILL FADE

SOON WE'LL BE STRANGERS

IN THE GRAVE.

THAT'S WHY THIS MOMENT

IS SO DEAR.

I KISS YOUR LIPS,

AND WE ARE HERE,

SO LET'S HOLD TIGHT,

AND TOUCH AND FEEL,

FOR THIS QUICK INSTANT,

WE ARE REAL.

- DUANE MICHALS, 'ALL THINGS MELLOW IN THE MIND' (1986)

- WIM WENDERS, 'ALICE IN THE CITIES' (1974)

"MY GOD, HE THOUGHT SUDDENLY, WHY AM I HERE, IN THIS DOLEFUL PLACE?  AND WITHOUT QUITE KNOWING HOW THIS HAD COME ABOUT, HE FELT THAT HE HAD VOYAGED DOWNWARD TO THE FOUL CORE OF THIS WORLD; HERE WAS THE TRUE MEANING UNDERNEATH ALL THE LOUD INFLAMED WORDS, THE SQUEALING HEADLINES, THE ARROGANT YEARS.  BUT HERE TOO, EQUALLY, HE THOUGHT, LOOKING AT THE DOCTOR, WAS PERHAPS THE CURE, THE WISDOM AND VISION, MORE PATIENT STILL...AND GOODNESS WAS HERE TOO - HE GLANCED AT HIS TWO FRIENDS - YES, BY WHAT MIRACLE DID IT COME ABOUT THAT COMPASSION AND LOVE WERE HERE TOO?"

- MALCOM LOWRY, 'LUNAR CAUSTIC' (1968)