“Papa, potatoes, poultry, prunes and prism, are all very good words for the lips.”

“People, they all have the word goodness on lips a bloody knife between their teeth.”

“From a memory deep inside her, so faint it only held sounds and slips of color, a tiny, three-year-old Azalea wailed, "Papa.""Papa," said Azalea to the lifeless form of the King. The word was so forgein, it choked her throat. "Papa... you can't leave us, Papa... It would be very...out of order-"Bramble knelt opposite her, grasping the King's bandaged hand."She's-she's right, Papa," Bramble stuttered. "We have...rules..."Clover fell to her knees and pressed her handkerchief to his chest. Blood soaked through. "Papa," she whispered.The girls knelt around the King, their skirts spead out like forlorn blossoms, swallowing , and whispering one word."Papa.""Papa.""Papa.”

“English words are like prisms. Empty, nothing inside, and still they make rainbows.”

“I noticed Maman and Papa dancing. Papa looked like he'd rather be shot, but Maman was very happy.”

“The word is a prism through which the two beams shot from heart and head are refracted into the colours of the Universe.”