There are times in life when, instead of complaining, you do something about your complaints.
Rita DoveRead
I think reading Shakespeare's plays when I was young was extremely important. He had the ability to make utter strangers come alive.
Interpretation
Reading Shakespeare enhances understanding and empathy towards others.
Rita Dove emphasizes the transformative power of literature, particularly Shakespeare's plays, in shaping one’s perception of humanity. She believes that engaging with such profound works helps individuals connect with the emotions and experiences of others, fostering a sense of empathy and understanding that is crucial in personal development.
In practice
In a speech about the importance of arts education, mentioning how Shakespeare's works inspired you.
There are times in life when, instead of complaining, you do something about your complaints.
Without imagination we can go nowhere. And imagination is not restricted to the arts. Every scientist I have met who has been a success has had to imagine.
As an African-American, as a woman, I think that I've been sensitized to the way in which history privileges the white male and the way in which certain aspects of history, the things that we are taught in school, the things that are handed down, never, never entered the picture though they might have been very important.
If our children are unable to voice what they mean, no one will know how they feel. If they can’t imagine a different world, they are stumbling through a darkness made all the more sinister by its lack of reference points. For a young person growing up in America’s alienated neighborhoods, there can be no greater empowerment than to dare to speak from the heart — and then to discover that one is not alone in ones feelings.
All of us have moments in our childhood where we come alive for the first time. And we go back to those moments and think, This is when I became myself.
Being Poet Laureate made me realize I was capable of a larger voice. There is a more public utterance I can make as a poet.
Contrary to popular belief, I don't spend a whole lot of time following soccer. But as I have traveled around the world to better understand global development and health, I've learned that soccer is truly universal. No matter where I go, that's what kids are playing. That's what people are talking about.
We've forgotten how to remember, and just as importantly, we've forgotten how to pay attention. So, instead of using your smartphone to jot down crucial notes, or Googling an elusive fact, use every opportunity to practice your memory skills. Memory is a muscle, to be exercised and improved.
If education is beaten by training, civilization dies.
Further Education should be about the ability to learn, not the ability to pay - everyone who is able should have the opportunity, regardless of their family background. I don't want to see students struggling with huge debts or frightened off even going to university in the first place.
People who don't vote have no line of credit with people who are elected and thus pose no threat to those who act against our interests.
Cultivate the habit of attention and try to gain opportunities to hear wise men and women talk. Indifference and inattention are the two most dangerous monsters that you ever meet. Interest and attention will insure to you an education.
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