Lisette doubted anyone had either the inclination or
the money to follow anyone else. It was as if the whole country had agreed
to stop caring. Only
Miami
still cared. (150)
~
It’s not enough that you have made of our land a
diabetic country at the mercy of neighboring markets; now you want to market
the land itself, the sacred land whose sale will be thrown back at you by
everyone from Hatuey to the last descendant of the last fertile Cuban womb.
(173)
~
The sea? The boy wondered whether the sea was male or
female because for him it possessed human attributes.
(176)
~
Don’t you know
that you that you planted in me the longing to learn when I was condemned to
live with no other text than my poverty? (180)
~
The Cubans live among you, but are not of you.
Seek not to know them for their soul dwells in the impenetrable world
of dualism. The Cubans drink
happiness and bitterness from one cup. They make music from their tears and
laugh to the music. The Cubans take jokes seriously and turn seriousness
into a joke. And they don’t
know themselves. (205)