Quotes from Nikki Giovanni

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 nature of tragedy and accident is that we cannot predict.

In the name of peace They waged the wars ain't they got no shame

I love you because no two snowflakes are alike, and it is possible, if you stand tippy-toe, to walk between the raindrops.

Ever been kidnapped by a poet if i were a poet i'd kidnap you put you in my phrases and meter.

Black Poetry is not for Black People...it is for everybody

White people really deal more with God and black people with Jesus.

God knows it's a sign of a really sick mind to see grown people, adults with responsibilities, wearing class rings.

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.

I would put books on par with chocolate, because a good book is delicious.

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

History is wonderful. We have so much we can learn if we would quit making ideology out of history, and just deal with what happened.

Favorite poems are like favorite children. We definitely have them but we never tell as the others would have their feelings hurt.

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

Sacred cows make very poor gladiators.

Deal with yourself as a individual, worthy of respect and make everyone else deal with you the same way.

We are strong enough to stand tall tearlessly, we are brave enough to bend to cry, and we are sad enough to know that we must laugh again.

I'm glad I understand that while language is a gift, listening is a responsibility. (U.S. poet and writer, 1943- )

Mistakes are a fact of life. If you are willing to be wrong then you have earned the right to be right.

You must invent your own games and teach us old ones how to play.

Love is the offspring of spiritual affinity and unless that affinity is created in a moment, it will not be created for years or even generations.

I don't have a life-style, I have a life.

If you were a pure bolt of fire-cutting the skies I'd touch you-risking my life-not because I'm brave or strong, but because I'm fascinated by what the outcome would be.

Life is a marvelous, transitory adventure.