For Reading Out-Loud

(Yet another)In Memoriam (gasp!)
Wonderful Grace Paley died on August 22. The writer whose stories and poems celebrated women's voices, carrying them far beyond their Jewish-New York original setting will be sadly missed. Filled with humour and pathos, her stories and poems, I'm convinced, are meant to be read out-loud.

From Goodbye and Good Luck:
I was popular in certain circles, says Aunt Rose. I wasn’t no thinner then, only more stationary in the flesh. In time to come, Lillie, don’t be surprised — change is a fact of God. From this no one is excused. Only a person like your mama stands on one foot, she don’t notice how big her behind is getting and sings in the canary’s ear for thirty years. Who’s listening? Papa’s in the shop. You and Seymour, thinking about yourself. So she waits in a spotless kitchen for a kind word and thinks — poor Rosie. ...
“Poor Rosie! If there was more life in my little sister, she would know my heart is a regular college of feelings and there is such information between my corset and me that her whole married life is a kindergarten.

From Faith in the Afternoon
Childhood passes
Youth passes
Also the prime of life passes
Old age passes
Why do you believe, my daughters,
That old age is different?

Y de una traducción tardía de sus Cuentos Completos al español (2005):
La verdad, cuando encuentra su nivel, flota.