Death is a slave's freedom.

I want to be clear about this. If you wrote from experience, you'd get maybe one book, maybe three poems. Writers write from empathy.

If now isn't a good time for the truth I don't see when we'll get to it.

One stands, in fact, in awe of the Constitution of the United States, though it is an idea and not quite a reality.

Daddy says the world is a drum tight and hard and I told him I'm gonna beat out my own rhythm.

I am totally fascinated by people and our history as I understand and continue to explore it. People have so much to give and so far to go and yet we have given and gone a great distance. It's really just interesting to ask: why not? And see where that takes me.

Black love is Black wealth and they'll probably talk about my hard childhood and never understand that all the while I was quite happy