Rita Dove - Sing Quotes

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The general sees the fields of sugarcane, lashed by
rain and streaming.
He sees his mother's smile, the teeth
gnawed to arrowheads. He hears
the Haitians sing without R's
as they swing the great machetes:
"Katalina," they sing, "Katalina,
mi madle, mi amol en muelte." God knows
his mother was no stupid woman; she
could roll her R's like a queen.

Rita Dove

Poetry is the purest of the language arts. It's the tightest cage, and if you can get to sing in that cage it's really really wonderful.

Rita Dove

Who discovered usefulness?
Who forgot how to sing, simply?

Rita Dove