Nikki Giovanni's Quotes

I appreciate and enjoy my age.

I spend a lot of time learning about bird watching.

I'm just totally fascinated by people.

If everybody became a poet the world would be much better. We would all read to each other.

If you know what you're talking about, or if you feel that you do, the reader will believe you.

Sacred cows make very poor gladiators.

The catchword I use with my classes is: The authority of the writer always overcomes the skepticism of the reader.

We believe 'Peter Rabbit' because Beatrix Potter believes it. You have to.

We eat up artists like there's going to be a famine at the end.

When you are skinning your customers, you should leave some skin on to grow again so that you can skin them again.

I had a really nice childhood; I had great parents. I earned my allowance by washing dishes, and in the summer I earned my allowance by working in daddy's garden.

The poet Melvin B. Tolson once said, 'A civilization is judged only in its decline.' That made sense to me. I would imagine the same is true for poets and tennis players.

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.

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.

We love because it's the only true adventure.

Some say we are responsible for those we love. Others know we are responsible for those who love us.

Mistakes are a fact of life. It is the response to the error that counts.

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

If you don't understand yourself you don't understand anybody else.

I am totally fascinated by people and our history as I understand and continue to explore it. People have so much to give and so far to go and yet we have given and gone a great distance. It's really just interesting to ask: why not? And see where that takes me.

If I could come back as anything - I'd be a bird, first, but definitely the command key is my second choice.

If now isn't a good time for the truth I don't see when we'll get to it.

Poetry and music are very good friends. Like mommies and daddies and strawberries and cream - they go together.

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

Everything will change. The only question is growing up or decaying.

Hip-hop is a cultural expression - it's embracing.