The unwillingness to try is worse than any failure.

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

Schools should be integrated by race and by class.

Poems don't have to rhyme... Poems are about beauty and emotion; in other words poems are about feelings.

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

I like what they're doing. I think they're doing a good job, and I know that a lot of people are upset by them. These are great young men and women, and they're bold, and they are saying to America, "Something's going to change." I'm very proud of them.

Language instruction should start in the first grade. Writing, also.