The Cartographer Tries to Map a Way to Zion Quotes

“How much
have we not seen or felt or heard
because there was no word
for it -- at least no word we knew?
We speak to navigate ourselves
away from dark corners and we become,
each one of us, cartographers.”
― Kei Miller, The Cartographer Tries to Map a Way to Zion

“a hymn then
not to birds but to words
which themselves feel
like feather and wing
and light, as if it were
on the delicacy of
such sweet syllables
that flocks take flight.”
― Kei Miller, The Cartographer Tries to Map a Way to Zion

“What the Mapmaker Ought to Know
On this island things fidget.
Even history.
The landscape does not sit
willingly
as if behind an easel,
holding pose
waiting on
someone
to pencil
its lines, compose
its best features
or unruly contours.
Here, landmarks shift;
they become unfixed
by earthquake
by landslide
by utter spite.
Whole places will slip
out from your grip.”
― Kei Miller, The Cartographer Tries to Map a Way to Zion

“Know this,
that lions who trod don't worry bout reaching Zion. In time
is Zion that reach to the lions.”
― Kei Miller, The Cartographer Tries to Map a Way to Zion

“On this island things fidget.
Even history.
The landscape does not sit
willingly
as if behind an easel,
holding pose
waiting on
someone
to pencil
its lines, compose
its best features
or unruly contours.
Here, landmarks shift;
they become unfixed
by earthquake
by landslide
by utter spite.
Whole places will slip
out from your grip.”
― Kei Miller, The Cartographer Tries to Map a Way to Zion

“And the ras says
it's all a Babylon conspiracy
de bloodclawt immappancy of dis world—
maps which throughout time have
gripped like girdles
to make his people smaller than
they were.”
― Kei Miller, The Cartographer Tries to Map a Way to Zion

“Know then that every heartbless
given is collected by Jah like mickle and muckle,
or like a basketful of cocoa, and comes back to you
like a dividend.”
― Kei Miller, The Cartographer Tries to Map a Way to Zion