--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Spoken word teaches that if you have the…" description: "\"Spoken word teaches that if you have the ability to express yourself and the courage to present those stories and opinions, you could be rewarded with ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/848/sarah-kay-3508_ability_spoken-word-teaches-that-if-you-have-the_1932220.png" --- # Spoken word teaches that if you have the ability to… ![“Spoken word teaches that if you have the ability to express yourself and the courage to present those stories and opinions, you could be rewarded with a room full of your peers or your community who will listen.” quote by Sarah Kay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/848/sarah-kay-3508_ability_spoken-word-teaches-that-if-you-have-the_1932220.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/848/sarah-kay-3508_ability_spoken-word-teaches-that-if-you-have-the_1932220.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/848/sarah-kay-3508_ability_spoken-word-teaches-that-if-you-have-the_1932220.png) > “Spoken word teaches that if you have the ability to express yourself and the courage to present those stories and opinions, you could be rewarded with a room full of your peers or your community who will listen.” [Sarah Kay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-kay/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Expressing authentic stories can attract an attentive, supportive audience, turning personal courage into communal reward. **In simple terms:** Sharing true stories draws listeners. Key Takeaway Speak authentically to build community. Themes expression courage community storytelling Mood hopeful inspired empowering Type motivational inspirational When to use this quote - classroom presentations - poetry slams - team meetings - online webinars - community forums Key Concepts authenticity social connection public speaking Questions to Reflect On - What story have you been afraid to share? - How can you create a safe space for listeners? A Different Perspective Not all audiences are receptive; fear of judgment may silence speakers. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ability](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ability/) [Community](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/community/) [Courage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/courage/) [Express yourself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/express-yourself/) [Language](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/language/) [Opinion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/opinion/) [Spoken word](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spoken-word/) [Stories](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stories/) ## Related quotes > [The ways in which we are able to express courage also depend on the hand life deals us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-cleave/the-ways-in-which-we-are-able-to-express-courage-also-depend-on-the/) [Chris Cleave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-cleave/) > [My falling in love with spoken word poetry definitely came out of that time period where all the adults around me were failing to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-kay/my-falling-in-love-with-spoken-word-poetry-definitely-came-out-of/) [Sarah Kay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-kay/) > [At this point in my life - age 24 - I have chosen a fairly strange path that not many are walking. I am…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-kay/at-this-point-in-my-life-age-24-i-have-chosen-a-fairly-strange-path/) [Sarah Kay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-kay/) > [Spoken word poetry is the art of performance poetry. I tell people it involves creating poetry that doesn't just want to sit on paper,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-kay/spoken-word-poetry-is-the-art-of-performance-poetry-i-tell-people-it/) [Sarah Kay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-kay/) > [The first spoken word poem I ever wrote was when I was 14 and I wrote it because I was accidentally signed up for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-kay/the-first-spoken-word-poem-i-ever-wrote-was-when-i-was-14-and-i-wrote/) [Sarah Kay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-kay/) > [I think you can perform any poem. But what I believe is that the best examples of spoken word poetry I've ever seen, are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-kay/i-think-you-can-perform-any-poem-but-what-i-believe-is-that-the-best/) [Sarah Kay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-kay/) > [My first spoken word poem, packed with all the wisdom of a 14-year-old, was about the injustice of being seen as unfeminine. The poem…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-kay/my-first-spoken-word-poem-packed-with-all-the-wisdom-of-a-14-year-old/) [Sarah Kay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-kay/) > [“In creating man, God voluntarily determined, at the same time, to establish a relationship with him. That relationship is properly designated a covenant; it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/k-scott-oliphint/in-creating-man-god-voluntarily-determined-at-the-same-time-to/) [K. Scott Oliphint](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/k-scott-oliphint/) > [What I love is the comedy of the body. It's a little highfalutin', but you can even say pre-verbal comedy. People laugh differently at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-irwin/what-i-love-is-the-comedy-of-the-body-it-s-a-little-highfalutin-but/) [Bill Irwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-irwin/) > [What if it turns out there really are witches and vampires and werewolves living right here alongside us? After all, what better disguise could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sergei-lukyanenko/what-if-it-turns-out-there-really-are-witches-and-vampires-and/) [Sergei Lukyanenko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sergei-lukyanenko/) > [Between thought and spoken word is a gap where intention can enter, the symbol be twisted aside, and the lie come to be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ursula-k-le-guin/between-thought-and-spoken-word-is-a-gap-where-intention-can-enter/) [Ursula K. Le Guin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ursula-k-le-guin/) > [I appreciate the written word and spoken word more, but Atonement sort of established so much of me. It was a character that didn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saoirse-ronan/i-appreciate-the-written-word-and-spoken-word-more-but-atonement-sort/) [Saoirse Ronan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saoirse-ronan/) > [Comedy, although it is not one of the fine arts - it's a vulgar art, it's one of the people's arts, it's the spoken…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/comedy-although-it-is-not-one-of-the-fine-arts-it-s-a-vulgar-art-it-s/) [George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/) > [Words are substance strange. Speak one and the air ripples into another's ears. Write one and the eye laps it up. But the sense…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-beachy-quick/words-are-substance-strange-speak-one-and-the-air-ripples-into/) [Dan Beachy-Quick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-beachy-quick/) > [“What said those two souls communicating through the language of the eyes, more perfect than that of the lips, the language given to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jos-rizal/what-said-those-two-souls-communicating-through-the-language-of-the/) [José Rizal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jos-rizal/) ## More by Sarah Kay > [It’s not just the adage ‘write what you know,’ it’s about gathering up all of the knowledge and experience you’ve collected up to now…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-kay/it-s-not-just-the-adage-write-what-you-know-it-s-about-gathering-up/) [Sarah Kay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-kay/) > [Thinking about writing as an act of celebration is sometimes a helpful framework for me. It allows me to prioritize what I want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-kay/thinking-about-writing-as-an-act-of-celebration-is-sometimes-a/) [Sarah Kay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-kay/) > [I don't think it's about art being a career but it's about making sure that if art is something that you love, something that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-kay/i-don-t-think-it-s-about-art-being-a-career-but-it-s-about-making/) [Sarah Kay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-kay/) > [I use poetry to help me work through what I don’t understand, but I show up to each new poem with a backpack full…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-kay/i-use-poetry-to-help-me-work-through-what-i-don-t-understand-but-i/) [Sarah Kay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-kay/) > [“Once, she fell off of a ladder when I was three. She says all she was worried about was my face as I watched…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-kay/once-she-fell-off-of-a-ladder-when-i-was-three-she-says-all-she-was/) [Sarah Kay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-kay/) > [“I love you as much as the ocean kisses the shore no matter how many times it is sent away.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-kay/i-love-you-as-much-as-the-ocean-kisses-the-shore-no-matter-how-many/) [Sarah Kay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-kay/) > [I write poetry to figure things out. It's what I use as a navigating tool in my life, so when there's something that I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-kay/i-write-poetry-to-figure-things-out-it-s-what-i-use-as-a-navigating/) [Sarah Kay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-kay/) > [Not all poetry wants to be storytelling. And not all storytelling wants to be poetry. But great storytellers and great poets share something in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-kay/not-all-poetry-wants-to-be-storytelling-and-not-all-storytelling/) [Sarah Kay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-kay/) > [Poetry makes people nervous. Especially in schools.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-kay/poetry-makes-people-nervous-especially-in-schools/) [Sarah Kay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-kay/) > [There are parts of me I only recognize from photographs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-kay/there-are-parts-of-me-i-only-recognize-from-photographs/) [Sarah Kay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-kay/) > [“What is it about immortality? With the right sword and shield, we think we can fend off anger, fear, and hatred. If our legs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-kay/what-is-it-about-immortality-with-the-right-sword-and-shield-we-think/) [Sarah Kay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-kay/) > [“And the spaces that he never saw: the ones my parents had labeled private parts when I was still small enough to fit all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-kay/and-the-spaces-that-he-never-saw-the-ones-my-parents-had-labeled/) [Sarah Kay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-kay/) > [Think it's so unfair when people think that you're not a "real artist" unless you're getting paid for it…I personally know so many poets…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-kay/think-it-s-so-unfair-when-people-think-that-you-re-not-a-real-artist/) [Sarah Kay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-kay/) > [“There is a girl who still writes you; she doesn’t know how not to.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-kay/there-is-a-girl-who-still-writes-you-she-doesn-t-know-how-not-to/) [Sarah Kay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-kay/) > [My first spoken word poem, packed with all the wisdom of a 14-year-old, was about the injustice of being seen as unfeminine. The poem…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-kay/my-first-spoken-word-poem-packed-with-all-the-wisdom-of-a-14-year-old/) [Sarah Kay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-kay/) [Explore all 129 Sarah Kay quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-kay/) ## More Ability quotes > [I don't think there's a direct correlation between my sexuality and my skiing ability. But I think because I was so concerned about it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gus-kenworthy/i-don-t-think-there-s-a-direct-correlation-between-my-sexuality-and/) [Gus Kenworthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gus-kenworthy/) > [“the importance of ability. The things that make a great job great, I discovered, are rare and valuable. If you want them in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cal-newport/the-importance-of-ability-the-things-that-make-a-great-job-great-i/) [Cal Newport](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cal-newport/) > [Ambition drives you on, ability certainly helps, but the fickle finger of fate and luck are great things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fergus-henderson/ambition-drives-you-on-ability-certainly-helps-but-the-fickle-finger/) [Fergus Henderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fergus-henderson/) > [The ability of the gospel to unite us on common strengths and common truths is one of the great miracles . . . of the gospel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-r-holland/the-ability-of-the-gospel-to-unite-us-on-common-strengths-and-common/) [Jeffrey R. Holland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-r-holland/) > [Maybe law enforcement would like the ability to turn on the camera on your Mac.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-cook/maybe-law-enforcement-would-like-the-ability-to-turn-on-the-camera-on/) [Tim Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-cook/) > [I've seen guys come along with more ability - they've been faster or bigger or stronger - but they never worked hard to develop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-largent/i-ve-seen-guys-come-along-with-more-ability-they-ve-been-faster-or/) [Steve Largent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-largent/) > [The youth of India has the strength to move the entire World with a click of a mouse, we have generated that ability!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/narendra-modi/the-youth-of-india-has-the-strength-to-move-the-entire-world-with-a/) [Narendra Modi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/narendra-modi/) > [Time hath not yet so dried this blood of mine, Nor age so eat up my invention, Nor fortune made such havoc of my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/time-hath-not-yet-so-dried-this-blood-of-mine-nor-age-so-eat-up-my/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [An absolutely necessary part of a writer's equipment, almost as necessary as talent, is the ability to stand up under punishment, both the punishment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irwin-shaw/an-absolutely-necessary-part-of-a-writer-s-equipment-almost-as/) [Irwin Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irwin-shaw/) > [I'd be more frightened by not using whatever abilities I'd been given. I'd be more frightened by procrastination and laziness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denzel-washington/i-d-be-more-frightened-by-not-using-whatever-abilities-i-d-been-given/) [Denzel Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denzel-washington/) > [Bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. Take what I cannot give: my heart, body, thoughts, time, abilities, money, health, strength,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-prentiss/bring-into-captivity-every-thought-to-the-obedience-of-christ-take/) [Elizabeth Prentiss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-prentiss/) > [You can only do the work to the very best of your ability.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christine-baranski/you-can-only-do-the-work-to-the-very-best-of-your-ability/) [Christine Baranski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christine-baranski/) > [Judge a person not by his ability to make money but by his ability to retain it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/judge-a-person-not-by-his-ability-to-make-money-but-by-his-ability-to/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [Balance is the ability to be happy in the midst of the most chaotic or even boring or transient circumstance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/balance-is-the-ability-to-be-happy-in-the-midst-of-the-most-chaotic/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [Bobby had faith in my ability as a singer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-london/bobby-had-faith-in-my-ability-as-a-singer/) [Julie London](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-london/) [Browse all 9,990 Ability quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ability/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Spoken word teaches that if you have the ability to express yourself and the courage to present those stories and opinions, you could be rewarded with a room full of your peers or your community who will listen.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Sarah Kay" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-kay/spoken-word-teaches-that-if-you-have-the-ability-to-express-yourself/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Ability" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-kay/spoken-word-teaches-that-if-you-have-the-ability-to-express-yourself/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/848/sarah-kay-3508_ability_spoken-word-teaches-that-if-you-have-the_1932220.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/848/sarah-kay-3508_ability_spoken-word-teaches-that-if-you-have-the_1932220.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/848/sarah-kay-3508_ability_spoken-word-teaches-that-if-you-have-the_1932220.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Spoken word teaches that if you have the ability to express yourself and the courage to present those…” — Sarah Kay", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Sarah Kay", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-kay/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Spoken word teaches that if you...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-kay/spoken-word-teaches-that-if-you-have-the-ability-to-express-yourself/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-kay/spoken-word-teaches-that-if-you-have-the-ability-to-express-yourself/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```