If writers were too wise, perhaps no books would get written at all. It might be better to ask yourself 'Why?”'afterwards than before There is no agony like bearing an untold story inside you. Zora Neale Hurston More Quotes by Zora Neale Hurston More Quotes From Zora Neale Hurston Someone is always at my elbow reminding me that I am the grand-daughter of slaves. It fails to register depression with me. Slaver y is sixty years in the past. The operation was successful and the patient is doing well, thank you. The terrible struggle that made me an American out of a potential slave said "On the line!" The Reconstruction said "Go!" I am off to a flying start and I must not halt in the stretch to look behind and weep. Zora Neale Hurston daughter struggle depression She starched and ironed her face, forming it into just what people wanted to see. Zora Neale Hurston faces wanted people Grab the broom of anger and drive off the beast of fear. Zora Neale Hurston fear inspiring happiness I do not pray. . . . I do not expect God to single me out and grant me advantages over my fellow men. . . . Prayer seems to me a cry of weakness, and an attempt to avoid, by trickery, the rules of the game as laid down. I do not choose to admit weakness. I accept the challenge of responsibility. Zora Neale Hurston responsibility prayer men Someone is always at my elbow reminding me that I am the granddaughter of slaves. It fails to register depression with me. Zora Neale Hurston granddaughter elbows black Oh to be a pear tree – any tree in bloom! With kissing bees singing of the beginning of the world! Zora Neale Hurston singing kissing tree Why fear? The stuff of my being is matter, ever changing, ever moving, but never lost; so what need of denominations and creeds to deny myself the comfort of all my fellow men? The wide belt of the universe has no need for finger-rings. I am one with the infinite and need no other assurance. Zora Neale Hurston comfort men moving All gods who receive homage are cruel. All gods dispense suffering without reason. Otherwise they would not be worshipped. Through indiscriminate suffering men know fear and fear is the most divine emotion. It is the stones for altars and the beginning of wisdom. Half gods are worshipped in wine and flowers. Real gods require blood. Zora Neale Hurston flower real fear Everybody is two beings: one lives and flourishes in the daylight and stands guard. The other being walks and howls at night. Zora Neale Hurston daylight night two Silence is all the genius a fool has. Zora Neale Hurston fool genius silence So she sat on the porch and watched the moon rise. Soon its amber fluid was drenching the earth, and quenching the thirst of the day. Zora Neale Hurston amber moon earth Mystery is the essence of divinity Zora Neale Hurston divinity mystery essence A thing is mighty big when time and distance cannot shrink it. Zora Neale Hurston distance insightful bigs I do not weep at the world I am too busy sharpening my oyster knife. Zora Neale Hurston black-history knives oysters It's no use of talking unless people understand what you say. Zora Neale Hurston use talking people No matter how far a person can go the horizon is still way beyond you. Zora Neale Hurston words-of-wisdom african-american matter I love myself when I am laughing. Zora Neale Hurston i-love-myself love laughing I made up my mind to keep my feelings to myself since they did not seem to matter to anyone else but me. Zora Neale Hurston matter mind feelings Some people could look at a mud puddle and see an ocean with ships. Zora Neale Hurston ocean life people She didn't read books so she didn't know that she was the world and the heavens boiled down to a drop. Zora Neale Hurston heaven book world
