There is no color line in death. I swear to the lord I still can't see Why Democracy means Everybody but me. O, yes, I say it plain, America never was America to me, And yet I swear this oath - America will be! I am the American heartbreak- The rock on which Freedom Stumped its toe.

Believing everything she read In the daily news, (No in-between to choose) She thought that only One side won, Not that BOTH Might lose.

Why should I want to be white? I am a Negro - and beautiful!

Your explanation depresses me," I said. "Your nonsense depresses me," said Simple.

I stuck my head out the window this morning and spring kissed me bang in the face.

I did not believe political directives could be successfully applied to creative writing . . . not to poetry or fiction, which to be valid had to express as truthfully as possible the individual emotions and reactions of the writer.

I swear to the Lord, I still can't see, why Democracy means, everybody but me.