Nikki Giovanni

Favorite poems are like favorite children. We definitely have them but we never tell as the others would have their feelings hurt.

I want to be clear about this. If you wrote from experience, you'd get maybe one book, maybe three poems. Writers write from empathy.

A lot of people resist transition and therefore never allow themselves to enjoy who they are. Embrace the change, no matter what it is; once you do, you can learn about the new world you're in and take advantage of it.

Art is not for the cultivated taste. It is to cultivate taste.

Style has a profound meaning to Black Americans. If we can’t drive, we will invent walks and the world will envy the dexterity of our feet. If we can’t have ham, we will boil chitterlings; if we are given rotten peaches, we will make cobblers; if given scraps, we will make quilts; take away our drums, and we will clap our hands. We prove the human spirit will prevail. We will take what we have to make what we need. We need confidence in our knowledge of who we are.

If you were a pure bolt of fire-cutting the skies I'd touch you-risking my life-not because I'm brave or strong, but because I'm fascinated by what the outcome would be.

Don't want to be near you for the thoughts we share but the words we never have to speak.

His headstone said FREE AT LAST, FREE AT LAST But death is a slave's freedom We seek the freedom of free men And the construction of a world Where Martin Luther King could have lived and preached nonviolence.

We have a world to conquer...one person at a time...starting with ourselves.

And you will understand all too soon That you, my children of battle, are your heroes

I’ve not learned the acceptable way of saying you fascinate me...I’ve not even learned how to say I like you without frightening people away-

I love you because no two snowflakes are alike, and it is possible, if you stand tippy-toe, to walk between the raindrops.

If i can't have what i want . . . then my job is to want what i've got and be satisfied that at least there is something more to want

The poet can only write the poems; it takes the reader to complete the meaning.

You must invent your own games and teach us old ones how to play.

Show me someone not full of herself and I'll show you a hungry person.

A lot of people refuse to do things because they don't want to go naked, don't want to go without guarantee. But that's what's got to happen. You go naked until you die.

We love because it's the only true adventure.

There is always something to do. There are hungry people to feed, naked people to clothe, sick people to comfort and make well. And while I don't expect you to save the world I do think it's not asking too much for you to love those with whom you sleep, share the happiness of those whom you call friend, engage those among you who are visionary and remove from your life those who offer you depression, despair and disrespect.

Now, everything I do, I do because I want to. And I believe the best is yet to come.

We write because we believe the human spirit cannot be tamed and should not be trained.