The vitality of language lies in its ability to limn the actual, imagined and possible lives of its speakers, readers, writers.

I began to realize that this idea of the lighter the better and the darker the worse was really - had an impact on sororities, on friendships, on all sorts of things, and it was stunning to me.

The pieces I am, she gather them and gave them back to me in all the right order.

So this is what insanity is. Not goofy behavior, but watching a sudden change in the world you used to know.

Life that crawled, life that slunk and crept and never closed its eyes. Life that burrowed and scurried, and life so still it was indistinguishable from the ivy stems on which it lay. Birth, life, and death - each took place on the hidden side of a leaf.

I think women dwell quite a bit on the duress under which they work, on how hard it is just to do it at all. We are traditionally rather proud of ourselves for having slipped creative work in there between the domestic chores and obligations. I'm not sure we deserve such big A-pluses for all that.

If a Negro got legs he ought to use them. Sit down too long, somebody will figure out a way to tie them up.