Anger becomes limiting, restricting. You can’t see through it. While anger is there, look at that, too. But after a while, you have to look at something else.

The writer in me can look as far as an African-American woman and stop. Often that writer looks through the African-American woman. Race is a layer of being, but not a culmination.

Let heartbreak be alternative to coffe break, five midmorning minutes devoted to emotion.

Race is a layer of being, but not a culmination.

Anger becomes limiting, restricting. You can't see through it. While anger is there, look at that, too. But after a while, you have to look at something else.

One must always be aware, to notice even though the cost of noticing is to become responsible.

She was so pale she could have been moonlight.

She also said that Esmenda Jenkins Dubewould have wanted a northern life,as far north as north can be, limits of northwhere it was so cold nothing there understood hellfire,and the mountains were white, like full-hipped womensleeping undisturbed, women of the cold cloudsbreathing out more cold clouds that departed their mouthswhen they whispered heaven in their northern dreams.

Scared of words? I don't see why anybody ought to fear words. Words are tools;you have to know how to use them to get donethe job you want to get done. Can't do the workif you're scared of the work.

Esmenda Jenkins Dube the first was all about fairand saw her house as an oasis in the middleof corruption, saw herself as a missionaryconverting stupidity into reason. She thoughtthat was much more useful than a miracle.