To believe is to become what you believe.

There are two ways to worry words. One is hoping for the greatest possible beauty in what is created. The other is to tell the truth.

Language is political. That's why you and me, my Brother and Sister, that's why we supposed to choke our natural self into the weird, lying, barbarous, unreal, white speech and writing habits that the schools lay down like holy law.

I am working never to be late again.

Like running trying to live a good life has to hurt a little bit, or we're not running hard enough, not really trying.

What's important about poetry in the context of leadership is that most of the time, power has to do with dominance. But poetry is never about dominance. Poetry is powerful but it cannot even aspire to dominate anyone. It means making a connection. That's what it means.

One of the reasons I came to Berkeley was because I saw so many students of all different colors speaking so many different languages and ferociously presenting all these different views. I thought, this is the 21st century and I want to be here!