“She made a creche outside the Inn. The natives thought it was wonderful, and Sister Honey was gratified by their numbers.Why have the devils with wings come to mock at the poor baby?' asked the children, pointing to the angels.The baby is the Number One Lord Jesus Christ,' Ayah told them.But he hasn't any clothes on! Aren't they going to give Him anything? Not a little red robe? Not a bit of melted butter?'This is His Mother,' said Ayah, showing them the little porcelain Virgin in blue and white and pink. 'He is her child.'That isn't true,' said the women, measuring the baby with their eyes. 'He's too big to be possible. Probably He's a dragon, an evil spirit in the shape of a child, and presently He'll eat up the woman.”

“Harriet told her, 'Captain John was so brave. He stayed there in the battle until his leg was shot off.' Victoria's brown eyes rested thoughtfully on Captain John. "Why didn't he stay until the other leg was shot off?' she asked. But he still seemed to like Victoria best.”

“Harriet was silent, thinking, and then she said, "It is too hard to be a person. You don't only have to go on and on. You have to be--" she looked for the word she needed and could not find it. Then, "You have to be tall as well," said Harriet.”

“You are born, you are a he or a she, and you live until you die... Willy-nilly.”

“On and off, all that hot French August, we made ourselves ill from eating the greengages. Joss and I felt guilty; we were still at the age when we thought being greedy was a childish fault and this gave our guilt a tinge of hopelessness because, up to then, we had believed that as we grew older our faults would disappear, and none of them did.”

“did jesus have a baby sister? was she bitter?was she sweet?did she wind up in a convent? did she end up on the street? on the run?on the stage? did she dance? did he have a sister? a little baby sister? did jesus have a sister? did they give her a chance?did he have a baby sister? could she speak out by and large?or was she told by mother mary ask your brother he’s in charge he’s the whipped creamon the cakedid he have a sister? a little baby sister? did jesus have a sister? did they give her a break?her brother’s birth announcement was pretty big pretty bigi guess while she got precious little notice in the local press her mother was the virgin when she carried him carried him thereinif the little girl came later thenwas she conceived in sin? and in sorrow?and in shame? did jesus have a sister? what was her name?and did she long to be the savior saving everyone she met?and in private to her mirror did she whisper saviorette?saviorwoman?saviorperson?save your breath! did he have a sister? a little baby sister? did jesus have a sister? was she there at his death?and did she cry for mary’s comfort as she watched himon the cross? and was mary too despairing ask your brother he’s the bosshe’s the chief he’s the man he’s the show did he have a sister? a little baby sister? did jesus have a sister? doesn’t anyone know?”

“Sometimes,' she said, remembering that morning, 'I write poems that are taller than I am”