Kissing the Virgin's Mouth Quotes

“Martina had attempted to pass for Anglo, but with her dark akin and mine, she could not. Failed, she sat in silence. -Is la pocha too good for Spanish?- He used pocha the new way, to mean Mexican American, for disdain.”
― Donna M. Gershten, Kissing the Virgin's Mouth

“flithy pendejos who would lounge barefoot all day on the benches of the plaza. What good is a tourist that spends no money? Some of those mocosos even begged...No one called me cheap, Menos, a rich girl pretending to be poor, menos, one that I knew could any time run home to hot water and the clean house of her parents.”
― Donna M. Gershten, Kissing the Virgin's Mouth

“It is easier to read about life than to live it, Even so young I knew that. Even so young I needed a rest from the living.”
― Donna M. Gershten, Kissing the Virgin's Mouth

“Back in his seat, he said, -Did I tell you not to stay in the sun?- He narrowed his eyes. -You are black as a negra.-”
― Donna M. Gershten, Kissing the Virgin's Mouth

“I thank the dark Virgin, morena like me... There are many who will tell you that the dark-skinned girls, las morenitas, have got no chance. But when Iwas a girl, I noted the Virgen de Guadalupe, her with the important job of taking care of all the pueblitos, and standing in every home with candles and all the respect, and her own day of Guadalupe with people crawling across zócalo and up the cathedral steps on raw knees and singing themselves ronca all night long”
― Donna M. Gershten, Kissing the Virgin's Mouth