Quote by Birago Diop: “Those who are dead are never gone; they are in the tree that trembles.”

This quote, from Diop's poem 'Breaths,' reminds us that our ancestors and their spirits are always around us, present in the natural world. It suggests that life continues in different forms, connecting generations through nature's cycles and wisdom, emphasizing a deep spiritual bond with the earth.

Published in 'Leurres et Lueurs' (Lures and Glimmers), this period saw many African nations gaining independence, prompting reflections on cultural identity and traditional beliefs versus colonial legacies. Diop, a veterinarian and poet, sought to preserve and reinterpret African oral traditions.

Senegalese poet and short story writer associated with the Négritude movement, best known for his adaptations of West African folk tales and for his poem 'Souffles,' from which this line is drawn. He worked as a veterinarian across West Africa and his literary work was deeply rooted in the oral traditions of the Wolof and other Senegalese cultures.