It's practically my subject, my theme: solitude and community; the weirdness and terrors of solitude: the stifling and consolations of community. Also, the consolations of solitude. Derek Mahon More Quotes by Derek Mahon More Quotes From Derek Mahon At the heart of the ridiculous, the sublime Derek Mahon ridiculous sublime heart The little things that you saw with a child’s eye and that will never go away. That’s what consciousness is all about. Derek Mahon going-away eye children