Action Quote by Sandra Cisneros
“I was reading Emily Dickinson and Edwin Arlington Robinson, but these weren't the poets that influenced me. I think Gwendolyn Brooks influenced me because she wrote about Chicago, and she wrote about poor people. And she influenced me in my life by giving me a blurb. I would see her in action, and she listened to every single person. She didn't say, "Oh, I'm tired. I gotta go." She was there, and present, with every single person. She's one of the great teachers.”
About This Quote
Source Interview: Sandra Cisneros on Influences, 2022
The speaker credits Gwendolyn Brooks for her authentic focus on Chicago’s marginalized communities and her attentive, present teaching style.
In simple terms: Brooks taught through listening and representing the poor.
Key Takeaway
Seek mentors who listen deeply and act with presence.
Themes
literature
social justice
mentorship
Mood
inspired
reflective
Type
educational
motivational
When to use this quote
- writing workshops
- community activism
- teaching
- personal growth
Key Concepts
urban poetry
empathetic leadership
Questions to Reflect On
- How can you embody attentive listening in your own work?
- What does “present” mean in a teaching context?
A Different Perspective
Brooks’ impact may be personal and not universally applicable.
![“[Jorge Luis Borges] had short stories, and I was trying to learn how to write short stories, and then he had these things in the middle that were like fables, and I loved hearing fables.” quote by Sandra Cisneros](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/a46/sandra-cisneros-862_borges_jorge-luis-borges-had-short-stories-and_102630.jpg)
![“We changed it to emocionó, the way you say in Spanish, "to emotion me" [to be moved]. That, as opposed to "haunt." We wanted the feeling of sadness and grief and obsession, so we used emocionó.” quote by Sandra Cisneros](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/8fc/sandra-cisneros-862_changed_we-changed-it-to-emocion-the-way-you-say_108295.jpg)
