“I told him, ‘No, Mr. Moore.’”

An epigraph is a Modernist technique wherein a quote frames the work thematically. The novel begins with lyrics from a song entitled “Tom Moore Blues” by Lightnin’ Hopkins. The song is one of the most famous Blues tunes and tells the story of racial injustice in Texas through the eyes of a tenant farmer. This line is loaded with meaning on its own, but also within the context of the narrative. It is about a Black man who stands up to oppressive white authority. It has become a popular protest song throughout the years.

“Seemed like death had a mind to follow her around in this lifetime. It was a sly shadow at her back, as single-minded as a dog on a hunt; as faithful, too.”

 As Geneva ends her graveside vigil, she ponders the suffering she has endured in her life. Personification intensifies her pain. Death is portrayed as a hungry dog following her throughout life. This is not a friendly canine, but a wolf-like creature that haunts Geneva with the heaviness of sorrow and loss.

“The blue guitar, the amber warmth of bourbon, they floated through the edge of his memory.”

Darren struggles with alcohol addiction. It runs in his family, as his mother is almost always drunk. Powerful imagery highlights the escape Darren seeks through drinking. The music is equally as intoxicating as the bourbon, and both serve to take Darren out of his present painful reality.