I just said let's get some poets on tv. And when they said that sounded unlikely, I made it worse. I said, no man, I want to put a bunch of black poets on stage, too. Some Latino poets who barely speak English and Asian poets who can't believe how discriminated against they are. It was luck nad being in the right place. I wasn't saying nothing somebody else wasn't saying but they wouldn't hear it from them.

American democracy is spoiled by people buying everything in sight and then selling and buying everything in sight, including our politicians.

I look for people who have insight in places where I don't.

Quit taking, start giving.

The always-connected culture isn't as much a contributor as Grace might think. The nervous mind, the monkey mind, will create its own noise. It doesn't need a new toy.

You know, the diversity that America has is so special. It's starting to really become a cool thing for young people.

Black actors on the road, flying around the country working as poets. Those people are inspirations for millions of kids who write.