In law school they teach you that everything is a contract; well, in poetry everything is a narrative. — Nikki Giovanni Copy Share Image
I'm glad I understand that while language is a gift, listening is a responsibility. (U.S. poet and writer, 1943- ) — Nikki Giovanni Copy Share Image
Poetry and music are very good friends. Like mommies and daddies and strawberries and cream - they go together. — Nikki Giovanni Copy Share Image
If everybody became a poet the world would be much better. We would all read to each other. — Nikki Giovanni Copy Share Image
Poetry is the most mistaught subject in any school because we teach poetry by form and not by content. — Nikki Giovanni Copy Share Image
ever been kidnapped by a poet if i were a poet i'd kidnap you put you in my phrases and meter… — Nikki Giovanni Copy Share Image
The poet can only write the poems; it takes the reader to complete the meaning. — Nikki Giovanni Copy Share Image
Poetry is like air. It's one of the necessary things. Everyone benefits from poetry. And as you know, poetry is international. There… — Nikki Giovanni Copy Share Image
“Writers don't write from experience, although many are hesitant to admit that they don't. ...If you wrote from experience, you'd get maybe… — Nikki Giovanni Copy Share Image
[To become a poet] The most important thing is to pay attention. The next would probably be to read; it's so important… — Nikki Giovanni Copy Share Image
Favorite poems are like favorite children. We definitely have them but we never tell as the others would have their feelings hurt. — Nikki Giovanni Copy Share Image
The only advice [for new writers and poets] I can offer is to be yourself: not the self someone else wants you… — Nikki Giovanni Copy Share Image
The poet Melvin B. Tolson once said, 'A civilization is judged only in its decline.' That made sense to me. I would… — Nikki Giovanni Copy Share Image
I want to be clear about this. If you wrote from experience, you'd get maybe one book, maybe three poems. Writers write… — Nikki Giovanni Copy Share Image
I do not understand why any poet or writer would run for office; that's a different sense of who you are. I'm… — Nikki Giovanni Copy Share Image
Poetry is the most informative of all of the arts because everything comes down to poetry. No matter what it is we… — Nikki Giovanni Copy Share Image
Poetry is music though, unfortunately, not all music is poetry. Because music has other carriers to take its message - beats, lyrics,… — Nikki Giovanni Copy Share Image
“ Ego Tripping I was born in the congo I walked to the fertile crescent and built the sphinx I designed a… — Nikki Giovanni Copy Share Image
Poets can tell the truth as they see it. It’s the author’s story, the author’s voice. — Nikki Giovanni Copy Share Image
Poems don't have to rhyme... Poems are about beauty and emotion; in other words poems are about feelings. — Nikki Giovanni Copy Share Image
[To write poems] I think it's important to do research, and research mostly is going to come from books, so all of… — Nikki Giovanni Copy Share Image
I just think she was a wonderful woman. What I think of when I think of Nina [Simone] is someone that I could relate… — Nikki Giovanni Copy Share
It's really just interesting to ask: why not? And see where that takes me. — Nikki Giovanni Copy Share
I am ever fascinated by the human experience and by, actually, human beings. — Nikki Giovanni Copy Share
You do what you can with what you have. You have to work the edges whatever they are. The main thing is keeping your… — Nikki Giovanni Copy Share
Mistakes are a fact of life. It is the response to the error that counts. — Nikki Giovanni Copy Share
I’ve not learned the acceptable way of saying you fascinate me...I’ve not even learned how to say I like you without frightening people away- — Nikki Giovanni Copy Share
ever been kidnapped by a poet if i were a poet i'd kidnap you put you in my phrases and meter… — Nikki Giovanni Copy Share
Young people coming up who are having difficulty with their so-called celebrity need to get back into their lives. It's your life and you… — Nikki Giovanni Copy Share
[To become a poet] The most important thing is to pay attention. The next would probably be to read; it's so important to pay… — Nikki Giovanni Copy Share
daddy says the world is a drum tight and hard and i told him i’m gonna beat out my own rhythm — Nikki Giovanni Copy Share
Life is a process where people mix and match, fall apart and come back together. — Nikki Giovanni Copy Share
The trip to Mars can only be understood through Black Americans. I say, the trip to Mars can only be understood through Black Americans. — Nikki Giovanni Copy Share
![“[To become a poet] The most important thing is to pay attention. The next would probably be to read; it's so important to pay attention. It keeps you from being bored, and I might add it keeps you from being boorish.” quote by Nikki Giovanni](https://sms4smile.com/q/img-quotes/27b/nikki-giovanni-1757_add_to-become-a-poet-the-most-important-thin_189198.png)
![“The only advice [for new writers and poets] I can offer is to be yourself: not the self someone else wants you to be, but the self you are. Enjoy yourself and your life. But most of all travel and eat. That's how we learn.” quote by Nikki Giovanni](https://sms4smile.com/q/img-quotes/dc2/nikki-giovanni-1757_advice_the-only-advice-for-new-writers-and-poet_644351.png)
![“[To write poems] I think it's important to do research, and research mostly is going to come from books, so all of your reading is potentially helpful to your poetry.” quote by Nikki Giovanni](https://sms4smile.com/q/img-quotes/e1e/nikki-giovanni-1757_book_to-write-poems-i-think-it-s-important-to_2575279.png)
