The literary community is very rich. The Haitian culture stands out as unique, especially the literature. The Creole language also lends a flavor all its own, even in English, and the African tradition gives the literature a lot of folk tales and proverbs.

Among the Igbo the art of conversation is regarded very highly, and proverbs are the palm-oil with which words are eaten.

There's definitely a growing gap between African-American culture and baseball. The doors Jackie Robinson worked on opening may not be closing, but the hinges are definitely getting rusty.

..she began to stand around the gate and expect things. What things? She didn't know exactly. Her breath was gusty and short. She knew things that nobody ever told her. For instance, the words of the trees and the wind. .. She knew the world was a stallion rolling in the blue pasture of ether. She knew that God tore down the old world every evening and built a new one by sun-up. It was wonderful to see it take form with the sun and emerge from the gray dust of its making.

She was stretched on her back beneath the pear tree soaking in the alto chant of the visiting bees, the gold of the sun and the panting breath of the breeze when the inaudible voice of it all came to her. She saw a dust-bearing bee sink into the sanctum of a bloom; the thousand sister-calyxes arch to meet the love embrace and the ecstatic shiver of the tree from root to tiniest branch creaming in every blossom and frothing with delight.

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.