Yolande Cornelia "Nikki" Giovanni, Jr. Quotes
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The job of the architect becomes more difficult in this secular age. Where once he had a god to extol, he now has humans like himself; where once he had "he," he now has "she" and "they.
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We have a world to conquer...one person at a time...starting with ourselves.
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If now isn't a good time for the truth I don't see when we'll get to it.
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Show me someone not full of herself and I'll show you a hungry person.
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We are better than we think and not yet what we want to be.
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The future is in good hands.
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Life is a process where people mix and match, fall apart and come back together.
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Most of my books are a two-year project. I tend to follow my heart and my mind and research materials where they take me.
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We black women are the single group in the West intact. And anybody can see we're pretty shaky. We are, however (all praises), the only group that derives its identity from itself.
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We need to make sure our children travel to see things. Not necessarily long distances but at least out of the neighborhood. On a train. A boat. An airplane.
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I really don't think life is about the I-could-have-beens. Life is only about the I-tried-to-do. I don't mind the failure but I can't imagine that I'd forgive myself if I didn't try.
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You must be unintimidated by your own thoughts.
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Being Black and poor is, I think, radically different from being anything else and poor. Poor, to most Blacks, is a state of mind. Those who accept it are poor; those who struggle are middle class.
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There are some things we do simply because the doing is a success.
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If I can't do what I want to do, then my job is to not do what I want to do. It's not the same thing, but it's the best thing I can do.
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I try to impress upon my students the importance of looking, listening... paying attention, in other words. You must pay attention.
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Poets can tell the truth as they see it. It’s the author’s story, the author’s voice.
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Black Poetry is not for Black People...it is for everybody
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I always like summer best
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And you will understand all too soon That you, my children of battle, are your heroes
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My main strength as a young writer was that I had no fear of making mistakes. I knew I would and I knew I could and would learn from them.
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All systems require myths for their longevity.
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Favorite poems are like favorite children. We definitely have them but we never tell as the others would have their feelings hurt.
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Life is a marvelous, transitory adventure.