Ben Okri Quotes
I began my writing life as a poet, so poetry has always been fundamental. I evolved from poetry to journalism to stories to novels. But poetry was always there.
Quotes to Explore
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It is shallow people who think beauty is frivolous or excessive. If you are bringing beauty and god, you are enriching the country. Rice feeds the body, books feed the mind, beauty feeds the soul. It is one thing I can really be proud of and stand tall in the world.
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Everywhere I go, I will make a good payday. But we got to choose the right opponent and the right time and the right venue.
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When I'm out on the stage, it gives me this rush and anything that's on my mind and everything I'm going through is forgotten about.
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We're dealing with sophisticated customers. What's most important to these women is individuality. I have to create things she'll want to wear, no matter who she is.
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Because the nights bring the threat of invasion and terror to the villages, thousands of children in northern Uganda have become night commuters, leaving the nightmare of capture behind for the safety of the city.
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I am sure I am one of 2,000 film directors in the world that Tarantino admires.
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I've been a victim in every film I have done so far. It would be nice to play someone who doesn't get killed for once. Then again, I am getting really good at screaming and fake tears.
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I don't really do sad, depressing songs.
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My wife and I often visit Rosales and the Ilokos as a matter of habit or whim induced by nostalgia, homesickness - whatever draws pilgrims to worshipped sanctuaries. Or, perhaps, what compels moths to seek the votive flame.
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I never thought about having a daughter, and then I had a daughter, and it was a remarkable thing. It was very different from having a son and your response to it. With a son, it's much more complex. And it's probably because of my stuff in the past. With a daughter, I was surprised at how simple it is.
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The greatest pleasure in life is doing what people say you cannot do.
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Everything is being compressed into tiny tablets. You take a little pill of news every day - 23 minutes - and that's supposed to be enough.
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Thanks to my father, we were always in good horses.
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I made nothing happen very slowly.
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And the success of the union movement, historically, has always been to benefit all working men and women - not just people who belong to the union.
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The key is a good story. If you have a good story, you have enough emotional beats that you can hit.
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Obviously I'm not 21 anymore, but I think I can still throw with anybody.
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Women who give up their children for adoption are years and years later talking about how painful it was, much more than women who have abortions.
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It's because I have no sense of shame that I'm always willing to give things a go: I've ridden horses naked into the sea, I've climbed rocks, all kinds of things.
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I painted a painting called 'Milk River' in 1963 Cows don't give milk if they don't have grass and water Tremendous meaning of that is that painters can't give anything to the observer. People get what they need from a painting. The painter need not die because of responsibility. When you have inspiration and represent inspirationThe observer makes the painting.
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I don't feel that as human beings we have an obligation to dislike someone based on their beliefs, and it's OK to have a human reaction to someone even if you feel what they do is hideous and objectionable. You can still enjoy their company and find them interesting to be around.
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Indignant Man resumes the shaft he gave, Disarms the tyrant, and unbinds the slave, Displays the unclad skeleton of kings, Spectres of power, and serpents without stings.
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I began my writing life as a poet, so poetry has always been fundamental. I evolved from poetry to journalism to stories to novels. But poetry was always there.
