Poet, activist, children’s book author, and professor Nikki Giovanni died December 9th. She was 81. Here are some of her memorable quotes:
If you don’t understand yourself, you don’t understand anybody else.
Nothing is easy to the unwilling.
Mistakes are a fact of life: it is the response to the error that counts.
You must be unintimidated by your own thoughts because if you write with someone looking over your shoulder, you’ll never write.
Deal with yourself as an individual worthy of respect, and make everyone else deal with you the same way.
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.
I’m glad I understand that while language is a gift, listening is a responsibility.
We write because we believe the human spirit cannot be tamed and should not be trained.
Poetry and music are very good friends. Like mommies and daddies and strawberries and cream, they go together.
Art is not for the cultivated taste. It is to cultivate taste.
If I could come back as anything, I’d be a bird, first, but definitely the command key is my second choice.
We love because it’s the only true adventure.
If now isn’t a good time for the truth I don’t see when we’ll get to it.