Through pollinated air she saw a glorious being coming up the road… shiftless Johnny Taylor, tall and lean

There are years that ask questions and years that answer. Did marriage end the cosmic loneliness of the unmated? 

She knew now that marriage did not make love. Janie’s first dream was dead, so she became a woman    

Long before the year was up, Janie noticed that her husband had stopped talking in rhymes to her

Every day after that they (Joe and Janie) managed to meet in the scrub oaks across the road and talk about when he would be a big ruler of things.  

On the train the next day, Joe didn’t make many speeches with rhymes to her.  

So gradually, she pressed her teeth together and learned to hush.  

The years took all the fight out of Janie's face. For a while she thought it was gone from her soul. 

Joe Starks didn’t know the words for all this… so he struck Janie with all his might and drove her from the store.

You done lived wid me for twenty yeats and you don’t know half know me atall.

She was full of pity for the first time in years. Jody had been hard on her and others, but life had mishandled him too. 

Janie wanted to ask Hezekiah about Tea Cake, but she was afraid he might misunderstand her and think she was interested. 

Tea Cake and Janie gone fishing. Tea Cake and Janie gone to Orlando to the movies. Tea Cake and Janie gone to a dance. 

No need for Janie to wait any longer. Wear the new blue dress because he meant to marry her right from the train.  

Janie learned what it felt like to be jealous. A little chunky girl took to picking Tea Cake.

Before the week was over he had whipped Janie. Not because her behavior justified his jealousy, but being able to whip her reassured him in possession.  

He was a powerful dog and Tea Cake was over-tired. So he didn’t kill the dog with one stroke as he had intended.     

She had wanted him to live so much and he was dead. No hour is ever eternity, but it has its right to weep.    

Janie buried Tea Cake in Palm Beach. She knew he loved the ‘Glades but it was too low for him to lie with water maybe washing over him.  

So much of life in its meshes! She called in her soul to come and see.