I made the decision to quit show business. Give up the skintight dresses and manicured smiles. The false concern over sentimental lyrics. I would never again work to make people smile inanely and would take on the responsibility of making them think.

A wise woman wishes to be no one's enemy; a wise woman refuses to be anyone's victim.

This is what I am learning, at 82 years old: the main thing is to be in love with the search for truth.

Depending on who I am talking about or who's talking through me - if the person is a kind of hip-hop, or rhythm and blues person, or if the person is a kind of old-fashion gothic, meaning gothic attitude, then that will determine what form the poem will take.

I've learned that whenever I decide something with an open heart, I usually make the right decision.

I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.

Without defeats, how do you really know who the hell you are? If you never had to stand up to something - to get up, to be knocked down, and to get up again - life can walk over you wearing football cleats. But each time you do get up, you're bigger, taller, finer, more beautiful, more kind, more understanding, more loving. Each time you get up, you're more inclusive. More people can stand under your umbrella.