Sam Shepard, 1983. Photo: Steve Ringman, SHN

We were sad to learn that Sam Shepard died on Thursday, at age seventy-three. Shepard’s Writers at Work interview was published in the Spring 1997 issue of The Paris Review. In it, he spoke about endings:

The temptation towards resolution, towards wrapping up the package, seems to me a terrible trap. Why not be more honest with the moment? The most authentic endings are the ones which are already revolving towards another beginning. That’s genius. Somebody told me once that fugue means to flee, so that Bach’s melody lines are like he’s running away.

You can read more from the Art of Theater No. 12 with Shepard here.