I was going to die, if not sooner, then later, whether or not I had ever spoken myself. My silences had not protected me. Your silence will not protect you.

There is no Hierarchy of Oppressions

what you hear in my voice is fury, not suffering. Anger, not moral authority

Poetry is not only dream and vision; it is the skeleton architecture of our lives. It lays the foundations for a future of change, a bridge across our fears of what has never been before.

How a diamond comes into a knot of flame How a sound comes into a word, coloured By who pays what for speaking. Some words are open. Love is a word another kind of open — As a diamond comes into a knot of flame I am black because I come from the earth's inside. Take my word for jewel in your open light.

The sixties were characterized by a heady belief in instantaneous solutions.

I learned so much from listening to people. And all I knew was, the only thing I had was honesty and openness.