I'm from Chicago, so the Chicago working-class poets still mean a great deal to me.

I was silent as a child, and silenced as a young woman; I am taking my lumps and bumps for being a big mouth, now, but usually from those whose opinion I don't respect.

I had no concept of this [healthy food] until very, very late in life, thanks to a trainer/nutritionist that I met who has been working with me since I was forty-five.

San Antonio drives me crazy, but Chicago drives me crazy in a different way.

I was interested in cross-pollinating the two. I thought there was something lovely in the little vignette forms. I wanted to explore that.

Even if you don't believe in God, you have to believe in love.

I would drive on streets that were one-way and think, "Why are they all honking at me?"