Now, everything I do, I do because I want to. And I believe the best is yet to come.

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

If you're a writer, the answer to everything is yes.

We are strong enough to stand tall tearlessly, we are brave enough to bend to cry, and we are sad enough to know that we must laugh again.

Poetry and music are very good friends. Like mommies and daddies and strawberries and cream - they go together.

If culture was a railroad, I can see the tracks running from the Spirituals to the Hip Hop Nation.

Poetry is like air. It's one of the necessary things. Everyone benefits from poetry. And as you know, poetry is international. There are only two things that are truly international, poetry and wine.