Antoine Lingo > Antoine's Quotes

“On Stripping Bark from Myself

(for Jane, who said trees die from it)

Because women are expected to keep silent about
their close escapes I will not keep silent
and if I am destroyed (naked tree!) someone will
please
mark the spot
where I fall and know I could not live
silent in my own lies
hearing their 'how nice she is!'
whose adoration of the retouched image
I so despise.

No. I am finished with living
for what my mother believes
for what my brother and father defend
for what my lover elevates
for what my sister, blushing, denies or rushes
to embrace.

I find my own
small person
a standing self
against the world
an equality of wills
I finally understand.

Besides:

My struggle was always against
an inner darkness: I carry within myself
the only known keys
to my death – to unlock life, or close it shut
forever. A woman who loves wood grains, the color
yellow
and the sun, I am happy to fight
all outside murderers
as I see I must.”
― Alice Walker, Her Blue Body Everything We Know: Earthling Poems 1965-1990 Complete

“In my country, we value achievement. People are free to decide what that means to them, and I’ve always considered helping others to be my way of accomplishing something important. I was hoping to serve others with my new job, but that’s history now, so I’m going to have to accomplish something big, or I’ll regret it for the rest of my life.”
― Steven Decker, Projector for Sale

“She’d always loved the mountains, but as she turned back to face the spectacular seascape in the distance, she nearly lost her breath at the diversity of beauty to be found on this ancient, tiny island. She remembered a thought she’d had, just briefly, during her first day ever walking in Ireland, when they were going down through the forest on the way from Glenmalure to Glendalough. I could live my life doing this, she’d thought. And she’d done that, for a while.”
― Steven Decker, Projector for Sale

“Ancient Chinese believe that when you dream, your soul leaves your body and travels to dream world. In dream world, there is no time. No past, no present, no future. When you remember dreams, it is very important to interpret those dreams because dreams you remember are very important to your future.”
― Steven Decker, Projector for Sale

“Only accessible to the world by a single winding road from Los Mochis”
― Steven Konkoly, The Raid

“The two senior officers couldn’t have been a better match”
― Steven Konkoly, The Raid

“or slip away. If he”
― Steven Konkoly, The Raid

“I know he says it’s a mind upload problem,” said Aideen. “But we won’t know that for sure until we get there. And maybe not even then if he restricts our access to the outside world of 2253.”
― Steven Decker, Time Chain

“Love me like you'll never see me again.”
― Alicia Keys

“He broke my heart, and now it's raining, just to rub it in...”
― Alicia Keys

“I think we deserve people who really, really love us.”
― Alicia Keys

“Falling down ain't falling down,
If you don't cry when you hit the floor,
It's called the past cause I'm getting past,
And I ain't nothing like I was before,
You ought to see me now”
― Alicia Keys

“Why give up before we try?”
― Alicia Keys

“Heidi's role as grand master was to monitor all the women and to manage their locations and communication. Even though she’d done this many times on multiple missions, her heartbeat still pounded in her ears.”
― Kirsten Fullmer, Trouble on Main Street

“Adam offered her a heart-melting smile and a wink, then headed for the door. With his hand on the door, he paused and turned back.
Heidi’s eyes jumped up from his butt to his face.”
― Kirsten Fullmer, Trouble on Main Street

“From the antique Persian rugs covering the gleaming hardwood floors to the molded tin ceilings and ornate chandeliers, the house was a showstopper. Throughout its long life, no one had allowed this home to fall into disrepair. Every detail of the wainscoting, every pocket door, every window, floor tile, and bathtub was original to the house.”
― Kirsten Fullmer, Trouble on Main Street

“If Adam were honest with himself, which he rarely was, he’d come to terms with the fact that beyond his work and the view, he was floundering a bit. His plan had been to take the insurance money, leave his old life behind, and start completely over somewhere new. A place where memories didn’t lurk around every corner.
He hadn’t figured on the memories coming along with him.”
― Kirsten Fullmer

“Monique bit at the side of lip. “He’s pretty active, I don’t want to impose…”
Tony stood and scooped up the puppy. “No, seriously, I’d love a little company.”
― Kirsten Fullmer, Problems at the Pub

“The big question was, what all was this society up to? They’d certainly been in and out of his office, as well as accidently running into him all around town. Had he inadvertently missed what this group of ladies knew? And worse yet, had he given himself away?”
― Kirsten Fullmer, Problems at the Pub

“Our eyes snag, and hold. His are green and yellow, with these razor-sharp flecks of brown. I feel like I've taken a running leap off a cliff and have no idea how deep the water is.”
― Christina Lauren, Autoboyography

“Her laughter vibrated along my neck and beneath my skin. I'd never heard her make such a goofy, indelicate sound. Another one of her walls I'd penetrated. Victory surged warm and sharp in my chest, and for a brief pulse I wanted to yell out the window that she was letting me in.”
― Christina Lauren, Beautiful Stranger

“It hit her in a sharp, startling truth: her whole life she had been put together wrong in one tiny, invisible, and critical way. And having that piece altered just enough for it to slide into place suddenly changed everything.”
― Christina Lauren, The Soulmate Equation

“I closed my eyes, pressing my teeth into his neck, biting down, giving him every bit of pleasure could think. I wanted him to want me so much that it didn't matter that I was inexperienced or unsure. I wanted to find a way to erase the memory of every woman who came before me. I wanted to feel--to know--that he belonged to me.
I wondered for a sharp, painful beat how many other women had thought the exact same thing.”
― Christina Lauren, Beautiful Player

“Some women choose to follow men, and some women choose to follow their dreams. If you're wondering which way to go, remember that your career will never wake up and tell you that it doesn't love you anymore.”
― Lady Gaga

“Trust is like a mirror, you can fix it if it's broken, but you can still see the crack in that mother fucker's reflection.”
― Lady Gaga

“I had a boyfriend who told me I’d never succeed, never be nominated for a Grammy, never have a hit song, and that he hoped I’d fail. I said to him, ‘Someday, when we’re not together, you won’t be able to order a cup of coffee at the fucking deli without hearing or seeing me.”
― Lady Gaga

“Don't you ever let a soul in the world tell you that you can't be exactly who you are.”
― Lady Gaga

“Well, that's your opinion, isn't it? And I'm not about to waste my time trying to change it.”
― Lady Gaga

“Love is like a brick. You can build a house, or you can sink a dead body.”
― Lady Gaga

“The condition of your soul will determine the condition of your life. Because it determines how you think, what you feel, and what you choose to do.”
― Gregory Dickow, Soul Cure: How to Heal Your Pain and Discover Your Purpose