Language instruction should start in the first grade. Writing, also. Nikki Giovanni More Quotes by Nikki Giovanni More Quotes From Nikki Giovanni There are things you stand up for because it’s right. Nikki Giovanni Favorite poems are like favorite children. We definitely have them but we never tell as the others would have their feelings hurt. Nikki Giovanni hurt feelings children I'm an old storyteller. I tell the story. It's about the story. Nikki Giovanni storyteller stories I grow old though pleased with my memories The tasks I can no longer complete Are balanced by the love of the tasks gone past I offer no apology only this plea: When I am frayed and strained and drizzle at the end Please someone cut a square and put me in a quilt That I might keep some child warm And some old person with no one else to talk to Will hear my whispers And cuddle near Nikki Giovanni quilts memories children We are less lonely when we connect. Art is connection. Nikki Giovanni connections lonely art Iife/personality must be taken as a total entity. All of your life is all of your life, and no one incident stands alone. Nikki Giovanni taken personality life My main strength as a young writer was that I had no fear of making mistakes. I knew I would and I knew I could and would learn from them. Nikki Giovanni young-writers no-fear mistake You must be unintimidated by your own thoughts because if you write with someone looking over you shoulder, you'll never write. Nikki Giovanni brilliant over-you writing and sometimes I sit down at my typewriter and I think not of someone cause there isn't anyone to think about and i wonder is it worth it Nikki Giovanni causes typewriters thinking Schools should serve breakfast, lunch and an afternoon snack. No sugared drinks, no fast type food. Nikki Giovanni snacks lunch school I appreciate and enjoy my age. Nikki Giovanni enjoy appreciate age School should be eleven months of the year. Nikki Giovanni months years school The future is in good hands. Nikki Giovanni hands [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. Nikki Giovanni reading writing book If I can't do what I want to do, then my job is to not do what I want to do. It's not the same thing, but it's the best thing I can do. Nikki Giovanni best-things want jobs We are all either wheels or connectors. Whichever we are we must find truth and balance, which is a bicycle. Trust and balance are also essential to true love. Nikki Giovanni wheels balance essentials The catchword I use with my classes is: The authority of the writer always overcomes the skepticism of the reader. Nikki Giovanni use overcoming class We believe 'Peter Rabbit' because Beatrix Potter believes it. You have to. Nikki Giovanni potters rabbits believe In law school they teach you that everything is a contract; well, in poetry everything is a narrative. Nikki Giovanni narrative law school I had a really nice childhood; I had great parents. I earned my allowance by washing dishes, and in the summer I earned my allowance by working in daddy's garden. Nikki Giovanni garden nice summer