“She figured out that the only way 
to keep from being frozen was to 
stay in motion, and long ago converted
 most of her flesh into liquid. Now when she
 smells danger, she spills herself all over,
 like gasoline, and lights it.
 ”

“Paris and HelenHe called her: golden dawnShe called him: the wind whistlesHe called her: heart of the skyShe called him: message bringerHe called her: mother of pearl barley woman, rice provider, millet basket, corn maid, flax princess, all-maker, weefShe called him: fawn, roebuck, stag, courage, thunderman, all-in-green, mountain strider keeper of forests, my-love-ridesHe called her: the tree isShe called him: bird dancingHe called her: who stands, has stood, will always standShe called him: arriverHe called her: the heart and the womb are similarShe called him: arrow in my heart.”

“Here, the sea strains to climb up on the landand the wind blows dust in a single direction.The trees bend themselves all one wayand volcanoes explode oftenWhy is this? Many years backa woman of strong purposepassed through this sectionand everything else tried to follow.”

“I'm not a girl. I'm a hatchet”

“Jenny couldn't believe herself a multiple. She was a mother, a nurse, not that screwball who appeared on the screen like some dysfunctional figment of her imagination trying to find a life. Still, she was coming to a realization that accepting who she was would be the jailer's key to liberate her from this cuckoo's nest.”

“She wondered if all the firsts in her life would go by so quickly, and be forgotten just as quickly.”

“I stayed indoors most of the time, which kept my skin very white. And my hair was as black as Ilana's. I wore black clothes all the time, just as she did.When I was in elementary school the other girls had called me a witch, scratched me with their nails, giggled behind their notebooks. But now I was in high school and suddenly everyone wore black and had pale skin and cultivated a disheveled haunted look.Now I blended in.”