We live inside our parents' backstory.

Mama says it's okay to be on the quiet side—if quiet means you're listening, watching, taking it all in.

I rewrite my books until they're mostly memorized so that's a lot of rewrites, a lot of time spent with my stories.

I think I'd rather have my heart broke than do the breaking. —Lena

Even with all of its changing, Brooklyn's architecture still feels like home, the language feels like home. It's changing so quickly that it's surprising. It's surprising still, when someone looks kind of askance to see me walking towards them.

I'm always wondering if he'll return. Sometimes I pray that he doesn't. And sometimes I hope he will. I wish on falling stars and eyelashes. Absence isn't solid the way death is. It's fluid, like language. And it hurts so much...so, so much.

I feel like the world stopped. And I got off...and then it started spinning again, but too fast for me to hop back on. I feel like I'm still trying to get a...to get some kind of foothold on living