I have never felt a placard and a poem are in any way similar.

...one of my motivating forces has been to recreate the world I know into a world I wish I could be in. Hence my optimism and happy endings.

First it is necessary to stand on your own two feet. But the minute a man finds himself in that position, the next thing he should do is reach out his arms.

I marvel at the many ways we, as black people, bend but do not break in order to survive. This astonishes me, and what excites me I write about. Everyone of us is a wonder. Everyone of us has a story.

Writing is harder than anything else; at least starting to write is.

It is true that no one can harm the person who wears armor. But no one can help him either.

I sometimes think humor and satire are more effective techniques for expressing social statements than direct comment.