Grab the broom of anger and drive off the beast of fear.

If you kin see de light at daybreak, you don't keer if you die at dusk. It's so many people never seen de light at all.

It is so easy to be hopeful in the daytime when you can see the things you wish on. But it was night, it stayed night. Night was striding across nothingness with the whole round world in his hands . . . They sat in company with the others in other shanties, their eyes straining against cruel walls and their souls asking if He meant to measure their puny might against His. They seemed to be staring at the dark, but their eyes were watching God.

Everybody is two beings: one lives and flourishes in the daylight and stands guard. The other being walks and howls at night.

I am her friend, and her tongue is in my mouth. I can speak her sentiments for her, though Ethel Waters can do very well indeed in speaking for herself.

Such as I am, I am a precious gift.

When we sing the blues, we're singin' out our hearts, we're singing out our feelings. Maybe we're hurt and just can't answer back, then we sing or maybe even hum the blues.