- Gowan McGland: Would you marry me?
- Geneva Spofford: No, Gowan.
- Gowan McGland: Good girl.
- Geneva Spofford: Would you marry me?
- Gowan McGland: I love you too much to marry you.
- Gowan McGland: There's nothing I cherish more than the truth. I don't practice it, but I cherish it.
- Reverend Clayton: Even though your stay here is limited, we want you to feel a member of our congregation.
- Gowan McGland: Certainly, who is she?
- Mare Spofford: That fella poet is raping all the women in Woodsmoke?
- Frank Spofford: Yeah, you'll have to wait your turn, Mare.
- Geneva Spofford: Are you alright?
- Gowan McGland: No, I'm not alright. I never was alright. I never will be alright.
- Geneva Spofford: I'm not talking of men of genius, I'm talking about you.
- Gowan McGland: Thank you.
- Geneva Spofford: By promiscuous pursuit you make women look promiscuous and that's unworthy of pursuit.
- Geneva Spofford: Oh, look at the way you twisting your napkin. Whose neck are you ringing?
- Gowan McGland: Yours.
- Reverend Clayton: The body of Christ, the bread of men.
- Gowan McGland: Oh no. No, thanks. I'm on a diet.
- Gowan McGland: [to Geneva] You elude me You let me kiss you No resistance But no response You're a puzzle But I can feel the warm current running under the ice Seeking out the wretch in a man And I am wretched
- Gowan McGland: You have reduced me to most contemptible of creatures The lovesick swain.
- Gowan McGland: So beautiful, so cool, so unattainable.
- Gowan McGland: You'll never hear me mumbling inanities like 'I will get the holy grail for her'.
- Gowan McGland: High spirits, unlike low, unfortunately are not infectious.